ã€ŠBAD GIRLã€‹


 Door-to-door

    Suburban Area, City N, USA

    As dusk fell, the modern city was shrouded in a gray, fog-like shadow of winter. The cold wind howled, carrying specks of hail. Pedestrians on the streets pulled their coats tightly around them, avoiding eye contact as they hurried past one another.

    At the end of a straight road lay a highway that intersected it at a right angle, dividing the area into two contrasting worlds: one side featured a slightly chaotic, older district, while the other showcased a serene and upscale villa community. However, the road didn¡¯t stop there; it dipped under the highway, continuing as a narrow, dimly lit tunnel.

    Outside the tunnel, the ground was uneven, with a few iron posts blocking cars from entering. The posts were rusted and peeling, and several scruffy street men leaned against them, eating bread handed out by kind strangers.

    Lin Xiaowan sat at the tunnel entrance, her heavily smokey eyes fixed on the sky. Her fingers unconsciously plucked at the guitar strings in her arms as if intent on snapping them. Beside her was a young man with a strikingly handsome face¡ªsharp cheekbones and a defined nose enhanced by his punk makeup. He glanced at her fingers, then offered her the cigarette he was smoking.

    Lin Xiaowan¡¯s lashes trembled briefly before she naturally took the cigarette, inhaled deeply, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

    ¡°The forecast says it might snow heavily this week,¡± the man said, his tone detached as he looked at the flickering lights inside the tunnel.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Xiaowan replied absentmindedly, holding the cigarette between her fingers.

    After a brief pause, the man added, ¡°Do you want to stay at my place? It¡¯ll get pretty cold outside.¡±

    Lin Xiaowan smirked, her smile tinged with mockery. ¡°And what? Pay my rent by sleeping with you? I¡¯m already tired of that arrangement.¡±

    The man frowned slightly but said nothing before two figures entered the tunnel¡ªa tall one and a shorter one. The shorter figure ran toward Lin Xiaowan, calling her name in English: ¡°Kitty!¡±

    Lin Xiaowan handed the cigarette back to the man and stood up, clapping her hands. ¡°What did you get?¡± she asked the two newcomers.

    The shorter one, a white girl with dyed black hair and lip piercings, dumped some groceries on a blanket. ¡°The supermarket was packed. We only managed to grab discounted chicken breast and some nearly expired bread,¡± she shrugged.

    Lin Xiaowan divided the food among her companions, keeping the smallest portion for herself. The white girl handed her the leftover money, which Lin Xiaowan casually tossed into her bag.

    The tall, tired-looking white boy asked, ¡°Did anyone pass by while we were gone?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan replied, ¡°Yeah, but no one stopped to listen to me sing, let alone give me money.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s getting colder, and we¡¯re making less money. Soon we¡¯ll either starve or freeze,¡± he grumbled.

    The girl kicked him. ¡°Hey, Pine, stop whining! We haven¡¯t complained, so man up, or go crawling back to your parents!¡±

    Pine fell silent, gnawing at his chicken breast.

    Lin Xiaowan reclined against the man who had given her the cigarette. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she said lazily, brushing off the group¡¯s concerns about her low spirits.

    The punk gang was interrupted when a black sports car pulled up near the tunnel. A striking man in a tailored black suit stepped out. His broad shoulders tapered into a slim waist, and his toned physique exuded charm. Lin Xiaowan¡¯s sharp gaze flicked toward him, assessing: He needs a little taming.

    Before she could act, a leggy blonde exited the car, threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, and sobbed, ¡°Please, Yang, I don¡¯t want to break up. Tell me what I did wrong, and I¡¯ll change!¡±

    The man¡¯s magnetic voice matched his refined appearance. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I just can¡¯t make myself love you. Staying together will only hurt us both.¡±

    He handed her an elegant box, apologizing sincerely. The blonde brightened as she opened it to reveal a Patek Philippe watch. After a graceful exit, the man leaned on his car, looking toward the tunnel.

    Lin Xiaowan seized the opportunity, sauntering over and greeting him in English. ¡°Looking to cross the tunnel to the villa side?¡±

    He hesitated, surprised by the punk girl¡¯s melodic voice. After a brief exchange, she playfully insisted he tell her his name, but when he introduced himself as ¡°Chen Xin,¡± she teasingly refused to share hers, promising to reveal it if he passed by again tomorrow.

    As Chen Xin drove away, Lin Xiaowan returned to her friends, ignoring their teasing as she plotted her next move.

    After choosing to take a detour, Chen Xin indeed returned to his newly purchased villa in the United States half an hour later. The villa, designed in a European architectural style, stands up to three stories high, covering an area of over 400 square meters. Surrounded by greenery and flowers, it features a sizable swimming pool and lawn, making it one of the most expensive villas in the area.

    Chen Xin parked his car in the garage and had just entered the foyer when a servant approached him, speaking fluent Chinese: ¡°Sir, your wine has arrived from home and has been placed in the cellar.¡±

    Chen Xin raised his eyebrows slightly¡ªa habitual gesture when he was excited. He quickly headed towards the wine cellar, remembering to ask the servant beside him, ¡°None of them were damaged, right?¡±

    ¡°No, all are intact.¡±

    Pushing open the wine cellar door, Chen Xin saw another servant standing in front of shelves filled with various expensive wines, carefully wiping the bottles with a cloth. Upon seeing Chen Xin, the servant politely bowed. Chen Xin nodded and said, ¡°You may go; I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±

    After the two servants left, Chen Xin carefully took down the bottle of red wine placed in the center of the shelf. Treating it like a cherished pet, he gently wiped it clean, wanting to caress the slightly yellowed lettering aged by time, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. In the end, he gently placed the bottle back.

    He immersed himself in the wine cellar for a while until a phone call brought his thoughts back.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Seeing the name ¡°Ye Chen¡± on the screen, Chen Xin smiled helplessly before answering. As expected, he immediately heard Ye Chen¡¯s stormy roar: ¡°Chen Xin, what are you thinking? Such a beautiful blonde, and you¡¯re not satisfied?¡±

    Leaning against the wall, Chen Xin explained, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m dissatisfied¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what? Do you think she¡¯s a gold digger? Let me tell you, who doesn¡¯t like money these days? Don¡¯t be limited by narrow-minded thoughts, thinking they like us just because we¡¯re rich. So what if they like my money? It¡¯s a sign of my capability! I enjoy spending money on girls! So you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Calm down. Can you let me finish before sharing your theories?¡± Chen Xin interrupted helplessly.

    Reluctantly, Ye Chen said, ¡°Fine, go ahead. I¡¯ve introduced you to at least ten prospects, from domestic to international. Let¡¯s see what excuse you have this time.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not that the girl isn¡¯t good; I really tried, but I just don¡¯t feel anything for her. Whether we¡¯re having dinner or watching a movie together, it feels as plain as drinking water¡ªthere¡¯s no¡­ no spark, you know?¡±

    ¡°I! Don¡¯t! Get it! A 34D bust, such fair long legs, looking like a Barbie doll, and you¡¯re not moved? I really don¡¯t know what kind of girl would move you,¡± Ye Chen retorted helplessly. ¡°Alright, Chen Xin, I won¡¯t introduce any more girls to you. I¡¯m just torturing myself here! Tell Auntie not to call me about this anymore; I want to keep such good resources for myself!¡±

    Chen Xin quickly replied, ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll call my mom in a bit.¡±

    Only then did Ye Chen¡¯s mood improve. He changed the subject, ¡°By the way, have you settled into your new place? Just a heads up, the locals here can be quite cunning. Seeing that we have money, they might take us for suckers. Don¡¯t let yourself get scammed.¡±

    Chen Xin rubbed his temples, ¡°¡­Too late, I¡¯ve already been scammed.¡±

    ¡°What? What happened?¡±

    Chen Xin briefly explained the pedestrian tunnel incident to his good buddy. After hearing it, Ye Chen was furious and cursed, ¡°Sh*t! These guys think they can bully us just because they¡¯re locals? I have a friend who knows the developer of your villa. I¡¯ll meet that guy someday and teach him a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Forget it; it¡¯s not a big deal. It just means I have to drive an extra half hour after work every day,¡± Chen Xin consoled. ¡°I mainly chose this place for its nice environment.¡±

    ¡°Chen Xin, can¡¯t you stop being such a saint?¡± Ye Chen said helplessly. ¡°Can¡¯t you learn from me and be a bit more vengeful?¡±

    Chen Xin suppressed a laugh and said, ¡°That¡¯s called complementary personalities. If I were as vengeful as you, we would¡¯ve ended up in the hospital from fighting dozens of times by now.¡±

    ¡°True, haha,¡± Ye Chen replied. ¡°Speaking of which, maybe that blonde girl really isn¡¯t right for you. She¡¯s so gentle; you should find someone who can keep you in check.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s not rush into finding a partner¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. Tell that to Auntie, or she¡¯ll keep calling me.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, I get it,¡± Chen Xin said as he turned to leave the wine cellar. ¡°By the way, when are you coming to N City?¡±

    ¡°In about half a month. The branch office in L City is a mess because of financial issues,¡± Ye Chen replied. ¡°Once I¡¯m there, let¡¯s have a good get-together with our buddies in the States!¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    After hanging up, Chen Xin had dinner alone and then went to his study to work.

    A month ago, following his father¡¯s instructions, he came to the family¡¯s branch company in the United States to serve as president. The Chen family¡¯s business mainly involves the production and sales of computer components. In recent years, business has been good, and the company has been expanding, but they¡¯ve hit some bottlenecks in the U.S. Since Chen Xin is the most capable in the family, he came over to help.

    Initially, he planned to stay for just two or three months, but upon arrival, he discovered significant issues in the branch. Additionally, he identified several other promising areas for development, so he decided to buy a house and settle down temporarily.

    He has always preferred to work meticulously rather than rushing, striving for perfection in everything. Naturally, he chose the best house, brought over the fine wines he¡¯d collected over nearly ten years in China, and, of course, his three adopted stray dogs.

    At this moment, Chen Xin was working at his computer, while the three dogs of various colors lay obediently on the soft mats beside him, watching their owner with big eyes.

    At 10:30, Chen Xin finished his work on time. He took out some dog treats from the drawer and waved to his pets in the corner. The three dogs immediately wagged their tails and rushed over, placing their paws on his legs to eat from his hand.

    With his other hand, he swiped through his tablet, intending to watch a light-hearted movie after work. Somehow, he randomly clicked on a music video on a streaming site.

    It was an unconventional song with a haunting melody. In the video, the female lead singer, sporting heavy smoky makeup, hoarsely screamed into the camera. Her eyes seemed to convey immense sorrow and anger, yet also a sense of exhaustion.

    Chen Xin immediately thought of the girl he had seen at the tunnel entrance that evening, recalling that she hadn¡¯t told him her name. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond of her heavy makeup but found her clear voice unforgettable. He wondered if he should go find her the next day and ask for her name.

    But the thought quickly passed. Chen Xin calmed down and felt he was being foolish.

    He shook his head with a smile, patted his pets¡¯ heads, and went to bed alone.

    For the next three days, Chen Xin avoided taking the tunnel route home, opting to drive the long way instead. But on Friday night, an issue arose.

    The highway was heavily congested, stretching for hundreds of meters.

    Chen Xin was relatively fortunate; leaving the office late, he was at the end of the traffic jam. A kind police officer tapped on his window, ¡°Sir, I suggest you turn around. This jam will last at least two hours.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled politely, ¡°Thank you. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad.¡±

    The officer shrugged, ¡°Well, Christmas is the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Chen Xin realized it was similar to the New Year back home. But where could he turn his car around to? This highway was the only way home; he had no

    Chen Xin smiled and explained, ¡°I don¡¯t have any change left. Besides, I believe your performance is worth this much.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, you sure know how to talk,¡± Lin Xiaowan said, standing up with her guitar. ¡°But since you¡¯re being so generous, I can¡¯t be stingy either. Let me sing you my best song!¡±

    At these words, the onlookers nearby cheered, seemingly eager to hear Lin Xiaowan sing.

    Lin Xiaowan smiled smugly, glanced back at her band members¡ªbassist Pine and keyboardist Margie were ready to go, but drummer Leng Qing was leaning coldly against the wall, motionless.

    Xiaowan walked over and kicked him. ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Start the accompaniment! My best song! Did you hear me?¡±

    Leng Qing glanced at her, then shot a cold look at Chen Xin behind her, reluctantly tapping out a beat on the drums.

    Margie and Pine immediately joined in, and the melody of the song echoed properly from the tunnel entrance.

    As soon as the tune began, Chen Xin felt something was off. However, it was too late to stop it. The girl in front of him coquettishly placed her hand on his shoulder and, with a charming voice, began singing that classic old song¡ª

    Madonna¡¯s ¡°Like a Virgin.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled and explained, ¡°I don¡¯t have any change. Besides, I believe your performance is worth this much.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, you sure know how to talk,¡± Lin Xiaowan said, standing up with her guitar. ¡°But since you¡¯re so generous, I can¡¯t be stingy either. Let me sing you my best song!¡±

    At these words, the onlookers nearby cheered, seemingly eager to hear Lin Xiaowan sing.

    Lin Xiaowan smiled smugly, glanced back at her band members¡ªPine on bass and Margie on keyboard were ready to go, but the drummer, Leng Qing, was leaning coldly against the wall, motionless.

    Xiaowan walked over and kicked him. ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Accompany me! My best song! Didn¡¯t you hear?¡±

    Leng Qing glanced at her, then cast a cold look at Chen Xin behind her, reluctantly tapping out a beat on the drums.

    Margie and Pine immediately joined in, and the melody of the song echoed properly from the tunnel entrance.

    As soon as the tune began, Chen Xin felt something was off. However, it was too late to stop it. The girl in front of him coquettishly placed her hand on his shoulder and, with a charming voice, began singing that classic old song¡ª

    Madonna¡¯s ¡°Like a Virgin.¡±

 Quarrel

    ¡°I made it through the wilderness¡­¡± Xiaowan skillfully plucked the guitar strings while circling around Chen Xin, singing. Her voice, pure yet charming, seemed unsuited for this elegantly veiled sensual song. However, her innocent rendition added a fresh and lively touch to the piece.

    Chen Xin wanted to enjoy the song but felt uncomfortable with the intimate posture. He attempted to step back, but she immediately closed the gap, leaning against him and singing, ¡°I was beat, I¡¯d been had. I was sad and blue¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, she poked his chest with her finger, earnestly singing, ¡°But you made me feel¡­ Yeah, you made me feel¡ª Shiny and new¡ª¡±

    Ah, the classic line was coming. Chen Xin tried to retreat, but Lin Xiaowan¡¯s eyes gleamed. She grabbed his tie, pulling him close, gazing directly into his eyes from a breath¡¯s distance, and sang, ¡°Like a virgin¡ª¡±

    Then she turned around, her back against his chest, guiding his hand down her slender, smooth neck, ¡°Touched for the very first time¡ª¡±

    The onlookers cheered. Chen Xin quickly withdrew his hand. Lin Xiaowan shot him a glance, continued singing, and even stomped on his foot.

    Chen Xin winced in pain, but Lin Xiaowan ignored it. She approached him again, singing, ¡°When your heart beats next to mine,¡± placing her palm on his chest.

    The crowd cheered once more. A few Black singers nearby joined in with ¡°yo-yo-yo¡± backing vocals. A scruffy-bearded homeless man squatted in a corner, smiling foolishly as he watched the band¡¯s performance. A young delinquent spray-painted Madonna¡¯s iconic bridal image from the song on the wall¡­

    The tunnel¡¯s previously cold and stiff atmosphere came alive due to Lin Xiaowan¡¯s song.

    Chen Xin realized that he wasn¡¯t just listening to a song; he had become a prop in her impromptu concert! Smiling wryly, he rubbed his forehead and decided to cooperate with her singing and movements. He noticed a flash of delight in her eyes, which inexplicably lifted his own spirits.

    Perhaps it was because her singing was so enchanting.

    As the song concluded, the crowd¡¯s whistles reached a fever pitch, with many shouting, ¡°Kitty! One more song! One more song!¡±

    Chen Xin smiled at the girl before him. ¡°So your name is Kitty; it suits you well.¡±

    He had been pondering what she resembled, and now he had the answer¡ª

    She was like a proud, charming cat.

    ¡°That¡¯s just a nickname people use casually. It¡¯s not my real name, and I¡¯m not telling you what it is!¡± Lin Xiaowan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Take the right fork; don¡¯t get it wrong. Safe travels!¡±

    With that, she swiftly pulled off his tie, twirling it in her hand as she ran back to her band members.

    ¡°Kitty, aren¡¯t you singing another?¡± someone nearby asked regretfully.

    ¡°I made it through the wilderness¡­¡± Xiaowan skillfully strummed her guitar as she sang, circling around Chen Xin. Her voice, pure yet charming, seemed unsuited for this elegantly sensual song. However, her innocent rendition added a fresh and lively touch to it.

    Chen Xin wanted to enjoy the song but felt uncomfortable with the intimate proximity. He tried to step back, but she immediately closed the gap, leaning against him and singing, ¡°I was beat, I¡¯d been had. I was sad and blue¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, she poked his chest with her finger, earnestly singing, ¡°But you made me feel¡­ Yeah, you made me feel¡ªshiny and new¡ª¡±

    Ah, the classic line was coming. Chen Xin attempted to retreat, but Lin Xiaowan¡¯s eyes gleamed. She grabbed his tie, pulling him close until their breaths mingled, and looked straight into his eyes as she sang, ¡°Like a virgin¡ª¡±

    Then she turned around, pressing her back against his chest, guiding his hand down her slender, smooth neck, ¡°Touched for the very first time¡ª¡±

    The onlookers cheered. Chen Xin quickly withdrew his hand. Lin Xiaowan shot him a glance, continued singing, and even stomped on his foot.

    Chen Xin winced in pain, but Lin Xiaowan ignored it. She moved closer again, singing, ¡°When your heart beats next to mine,¡± placing her palm on his chest.

    The crowd cheered once more. A few Black singers nearby chimed in with ¡°yo-yo-yo¡± backing vocals. A scruffy-bearded homeless man squatted in a corner, smiling foolishly as he watched the band¡¯s performance. A hooligan spray-painted Madonna¡¯s iconic bridal look from the song on the wall¡­

    The tunnel¡¯s previously cold and stiff atmosphere had come alive thanks to Lin Xiaowan¡¯s song.

    Chen Xin realized he wasn¡¯t just listening; he had become a prop in her impromptu concert! Smiling wryly, he rubbed his forehead and decided to play along. He noticed a flash of surprise in her eyes, which inexplicably lifted his spirits.

    Perhaps it was because her singing was so delightful.

    As the song ended, the crowd¡¯s whistles reached a fever pitch. They chanted, ¡°Kitty! One more song! One more song!¡±

    Chen Xin smiled at the girl before him. ¡°So your name is Kitty; it suits you.¡±

    He had been pondering what she resembled. Now he had the answer¡ª

    She was like a proud, playful kitten.

    ¡°That¡¯s just a nickname people use. It¡¯s not my real name, and I¡¯m not telling you what it is!¡± Lin Xiaowan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Take the right fork; don¡¯t get lost. Safe travels!¡±

    With that, she suddenly snatched his tie, twirling it in her hand as she ran back to her bandmates.

    ¡°Kitty, aren¡¯t you singing another?¡± someone nearby asked regretfully.

    Xiaowan reclined back into Leng Qing¡¯s arms, pointing at Chen Xin. ¡°He only paid for one song.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled softly. He took out a few more bills from his wallet, walked over, and placed them in Lin Xiaowan¡¯s hand. Noticing her thigh-length black leather skirt, he remarked, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry to get home, so no need for another song. Keep the money and buy yourself some clothes. Don¡¯t wear skirts anymore; your legs are turning red from the cold.¡±

    Lin Xiaowan slightly retracted her fair, slender legs under her skirt but retorted, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I like dressing this way.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Alright, my mistake for meddling.¡± Chen Xin raised his hands in surrender, stood up, and headed deeper into the tunnel. ¡°Goodbye, Kitty.¡±

    Xiaowan watched his tall figure for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled mischievously. She dashed forward, grabbed his collar before he could react, and pressed her lips against his.

    Whistles erupted around them.

    Like a mischievous kitten, Xiaowan bit his lips a few times before releasing him. Seeing his astonished expression, she stuck out her tongue. ¡°What are you staring at? It¡¯s just a kiss; none of your business. Now off you go!¡±

    With that, she kneed him.

    Chen Xin nearly stumbled but managed to steady himself, still wearing a look of disbelief¡ªwhat just happened? This stranger, a street performer, had kissed him and then kicked him?

    Who was he? Where was he? Why did the world suddenly feel surreal?

    Bemused, Chen Xin wiped his lips and glanced back at the girl, only to see her nonchalantly chatting with her bandmates.

    He shook his head helplessly and turned to walk alone into the depths of the tunnel. Meanwhile, back in the tunnel, Margie and Pine excitedly surrounded Xiaowan. ¡°Kitty, how much did that handsome rich guy give us?¡± Xiaowan counted the hundred-yuan bills in her hand. Including the one Chen Xin initially gave, there were sixteen in total. She grinned at the others and said, ¡°Hey, how about I treat you all to a Christmas feast in advance?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Margie immediately shouted excitedly. Pine was even more thrilled, jumping up and saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go to BForest! I¡¯ve been craving their lamb chops. Ouch, Margie, why did you hit me?¡± Xiaowan¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. After a pause, she nodded, ¡°Alright, no problem. Let¡¯s go then!¡± Margie and Pine immediately followed closely like shadows, while Leng Qing remained motionless in the corner. Xiaowan glanced back at him, walked over, and nudged him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming to eat? We had a great haul today!¡± Leng Qing smoked silently. Annoyed, Xiaowan slapped the cigarette out of his hand, ¡°Stop acting cool. I¡¯ll ask you one more time: are you coming or not? If not, we¡¯re leaving!¡± Instead of answering her question, Leng Qing suddenly looked up at Lin Xiaowan with sharp eyes and said coldly, ¡°What was that kiss with that man about? Are you interested in him?¡± ¡°So what if I am? It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Xiaowan replied, looking down and playing with her nails. Leng Qing snorted, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re switching men too quickly? How long has it been since your last relationship ended, and now you have a new target? Aren¡¯t you afraid of overindulgence leading to your demise?¡± ¡°I do as I please. For the last time, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°None of my business¡­¡± Leng Qing muttered, then suddenly raised his voice in anger, ¡°If it¡¯s none of my business, then why the hell do you come to sleep with me every time you break up?! What the hell am I to you?¡±

    ¡°A toy? Something you pick up when you feel like it and toss aside when you don¡¯t?¡±

    Xiaowan looked completely unfazed, ¡°What else? At most, you¡¯re just a fling. Don¡¯t flatter yourself thinking you¡¯re something more.¡±

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan, you¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, stop arguing in Chinese!¡± Margie stepped between them, trying to defuse the tension. ¡°We can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying anyway. Talk it out properly!¡±

    Her attempt at mediation fell flat. Leng Qing stood up abruptly and stormed out, leaving a cold parting remark: ¡°When it snows in a few days, don¡¯t you dare come begging to me!¡±

    Xiaowan clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling with anger, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if I die, I won¡¯t come to you!¡±

    The atmosphere turned icy. No one dared to make a sound. Even the usually boisterous Black musicians exchanged uneasy glances, nervously watching the scene unfold.

    After a long silence, Pine finally asked in a shaky voice, ¡°Um¡­ are we still going for lamb chops?¡±

    Xiaowan turned and kicked him. ¡°All you think about is food, you glutton!¡±

    Despite her words, she still grabbed the cash and stormed out. Pine¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly dragged Margie along to follow her.

    Twenty minutes later, outside BForest,Michelin restaurant in N City.

    As Christmas approached, this globally renowned restaurant was already packed with guests. The elegant hall was filled with wealthy elites and high-profile figures. Reservations had been booked out for the next six months. Of course, skipping the queue wasn¡¯t impossible¡ªif you were rich or influential enough, the manager would gladly find you a seat in the crowded hall.

    However, such privileges were clearly not extended to three street musicians in tattered leather jackets and punk makeup.

    The restaurant manager, Brett, maintained his elegant yet aloof demeanor as he addressed Margie standing before him: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but we are fully booked. Additionally, we require our guests to be properly attired to uphold our restaurant¡¯s image and ensure other patrons¡¯ dining experience isn¡¯t compromised. If you¡¯re in a hurry, I suggest trying the Burger King just across the street.¡±

    Faced with such a haughty and subtly sarcastic dismissal, Payne immediately lost his temper and was about to confront the manager. However, Xiao Wan, standing a bit farther away, approached calmly, stopping him. She leisurely retrieved a card from her purse and placed it before the manager.

    Upon recognizing the signature on the card, Brett was momentarily stunned. Looking up at Xiao Wan, his complexion turned pale, yet he forced a smile. ¡°Miss Lin! My deepest apologies; I didn¡¯t notice you earlier. Please, come in!¡±

    With her chin slightly raised, Xiao Wan proceeded inside, Brett nervously trailing behind. She inquired, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯re fully booked?¡±

    ¡°W-well, for others, yes, but Mr. Brown specifically instructed us to always have a table reserved for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ And my attire? Won¡¯t it affect the other guests¡¯ mood?¡±

    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Brett responded, ¡°Not at all. Your outfit is¡­ uniquely fashionable. I believe it will set the next trend¡­¡±

    Xiao Wan chuckled, taking a seat at the best window-side table in the restaurant. As Brett continued his flattery, she grew impatient and waved him off. ¡°Alright, enough. We¡¯re starving; let¡¯s order.¡±

    ¡°Of course, here¡¯s our latest menu updated just last week. I highly recommend¡­¡±

    After placing their orders, Brett lingered, leaning in to whisper, ¡°Miss Lin¡­¡±

    The restaurant manager, Brett, maintained his elegant yet aloof demeanor as he addressed Margie standing before him: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam, but we are fully booked. Additionally, we require our guests to be properly attired to uphold our restaurant¡¯s image and ensure other patrons¡¯ dining experience isn¡¯t compromised. If you¡¯re in a hurry for a meal, I suggest trying the Burger King just across the street.¡±

    Faced with such a haughty and subtly sarcastic dismissal, Pine immediately became agitated and was about to confront him. However, Xiao Wan, standing a bit farther away, approached unhurriedly, retrieved a card from her purse, and placed it deliberately in front of the manager.

    Upon seeing the signature on the card, Brett was momentarily taken aback. When he looked up at Xiao Wan, his expression turned pale, yet he forced a smile. ¡°Miss Lin! My deepest apologies; I didn¡¯t recognize you earlier. Please, come in!¡±

    With her chin slightly raised, Xiao Wan proceeded inside, with the nervous manager trailing behind. She inquired, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you were fully booked?¡±

    ¡°Well, for others, perhaps, but Mr. Brown has specifically instructed us to always have a table reserved for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ and what about my attire? Won¡¯t it affect other guests¡¯ moods?¡±

    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Brett replied, ¡°Not at all. Your style is quite¡­ unique. I believe it will set the next fashion trend.¡±

    Xiao Wan chuckled, took the best window seat in the restaurant, and listened impatiently as the manager continued to praise her. She waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Alright, enough flattery! We¡¯re starving; let¡¯s order.¡±

    ¡°Of course, here¡¯s our menu updated just last week. I highly recommend¡­¡±

    After placing their orders, the manager lingered, leaning in to whisper, ¡°Miss Lin, I haven¡¯t seen you with Mr. Brown lately; are you two¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I dine here without him?¡± Xiao Wan retorted.

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± the manager hurriedly responded. ¡°I just wanted to say, Mr. Brown has always¡­¡±

    Xiao Wan began plucking the pink rose petals from the vase one by one, speaking slowly, ¡°If you keep talking, I¡¯ll leave.¡±

    The manager wisely took two steps back. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡±

    Stretching lazily and resting her head on the table, Xiao Wan muttered, ¡°So annoying, meddling in others¡¯ business.¡±

    Pine, indulging in the complimentary baked snails and seared foie gras, remarked nonchalantly, ¡°Actually, the manager means well, Kitty. Brown treats you so well; he¡¯d even pluck the stars from the sky for you. Why did you break up with him¡ªouch!¡±

    Margie had stomped on his foot under the table. ¡°Just eat and keep your mouth shut, will you!¡±

    Xiao Wan, amused by their antics, gazed at the pink roses in the vase and softly said, ¡°No particular reason. I broke up because I felt like it. After all, I¡¯m a natural-born heartbreaker. When it comes to men¡­ I can never stay committed for long.¡±

 Night Snow

    After a hearty meal, the three band members strolled leisurely down the street, patting their full bellies. The Christmas atmosphere was growing stronger; passersby carried various Christmas decorations, every store played Christmas songs, and some couples were struggling to load Christmas trees onto their cars.

    Marcy looked at all this and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Christmas is coming; I really want to go home and see my family.¡±

    Xiaowan turned to her upon hearing this and said, ¡°Then go back.¡±

    Marcy was taken aback and quickly waved her hands nervously, ¡°No, no, I was just saying. I don¡¯t mean to forgive them, Kitty, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    Xiaowan, however, ruffled her spiky black short hair and smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m serious; it¡¯s been half a year; you should go back and see them. After all, they are your family.¡±

    Marcy cautiously looked at her, ¡°Really? If I leave and Pine goes to the orphanage to visit the children, what about you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I was just joining in your festivities; our Chinese tradition is to celebrate the New Year,¡± Xiaowan said lightly. ¡°So go back and see them. But remember what I said: if they don¡¯t let you have a good Christmas, leave immediately.¡±

    Marcy nodded gratefully, ¡°I will!¡±

    Pine suggested from the side, ¡°Kitty, why don¡¯t you spend Christmas with Lengqing?¡±

    Xiaowan rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Did that big meal make you lose your intelligence? I just had a fight with that guy; who wants to make up with him! It¡¯s just Christmas; I¡¯ll just spend the night in the tunnel as usual. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±

    Pine scratched his head, ¡°Well, okay. I want to buy gifts for the kids. Kitty, do you want to come with me?¡±

    The two burly men immediately took out a few crumpled dollar bills from their pockets and handed them over. Xiaowan took the money, counted it, and said, ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± The two men nodded repeatedly. She sneered, ¡°Next time, if you touch my things without permission, it won¡¯t be settled this easily.¡± The two men nodded like chickens pecking at rice and quickly fled.

    Xiaowan sighed, sat down, and gently stroked her guitar. She took out a small notebook from her bag, opened it, and began to write something. The tunnel was dimly lit, with only a few scattered streetlights casting faint light. The sound of distant carols and laughter could be heard, but here, it was cold and deserted.

    After an unknown amount of time, a familiar voice came from behind, ¡°Kitty, writing songs again?¡± Xiaowan turned her head and saw Lengqing standing there, holding two cups of hot coffee. She frowned, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Lengqing handed her a cup of coffee, ¡°I was passing by and saw you here alone. Thought you might need something warm.¡±

    Xiaowan hesitated for a moment but s

    Lengqing sat down beside her, ¡°It¡¯s Christmas Eve. Do you have any plans?¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°Just staying here.¡±

    He looked at her, ¡°How about coming with me to a party? There will be many musicians there; you might find it interesting.¡±

    Xiaowan was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±

    Lengqing didn¡¯t press further, ¡°Alright. But if you change your mind, you can call me anytime.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lengqing stood up, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to your writing. Merry Christmas, Kitty.¡±

    Xiaowan watched his departing figure, whispered, ¡°Merry Christmas,¡± and then returned to her notebook, continuing to write under the dim light.

    The two Black men exchanged glances and reluctantly took out an unopened pack of cigarettes. ¡°This is all we have. It¡¯s really expensive! We can¡¯t even bear to smoke it¡­¡±

    Without a word, Xiaowan took the pack, extracted two cigarettes, and tossed the rest back to them. They quickly grabbed the pack and ran off, cautiously peeking at her from a corner.

    With a cigarette dangling from her lips, Xiaowan lay comfortably in her makeshift nest of tattered coats. She listened to the various conversations around her about Christmas, her eyes fixed on the patch of sky visible from the tunnel entrance.

    Not a single star was visible; it was certain to snow tomorrow.

    D*mn it, d*mn this snow.

    Frustrated, Xiaowan exhaled a smoke ring, buried her head under the coat, and forced herself to sleep.

    Meanwhile, back home after passing through the tunnel, Chen Xin couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the kiss from the girl named Kitty.

    Partly because her black lipstick had left a stubborn mark on his lips, requiring ten minutes and the help of a servant to remove.

    But more so because she was so unique.

    Raised in privilege, Chen Xin had only encountered two types of women: well-behaved ladies from wealthy families like his own, and scheming gold-diggers aiming to marry into wealth.

    He had never met anyone like Kitty, who lived so freely and did as she pleased.

    To be honest, someone like him, who had always followed his family¡¯s plans, felt a tinge of envy towards such a lifestyle.

    Ye Chen often scolded him for being too picky with women, saying he wasn¡¯t interested in virtuous ladies or seductive vamps, labeling him as practically asexual.

    Chen Xin suddenly had a thought: perhaps he should find such a unique girl; maybe he could finally experience the feeling of being moved.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Before he could figure it out, a servant interrupted his thoughts: ¡°Mr. Chen, the day after tomorrow is Christmas. Do you need us to purchase any Christmas supplies for you?¡±

    Looking at the middle-aged Caucasian woman in front of him, Chen Xin thought for a moment and said, ¡°No need, I don¡¯t require anything. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll give you all five days off. I know you value this holiday; have a good one.¡±

    The maid gave a sincere smile, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chen. I¡¯ll convey this message to the others. Merry Christmas to you too.¡±

    So, early the next morning, when Chen Xin got up, he was the only one left in the vast villa.

    The villa¡¯s security measures were fully electronic, and there was a specially hired security team providing protection 365 days a year, so he wasn¡¯t worried about safety. It just felt that this home¡­ was a bit empty.

    If there were a hostess, it would probably be much better. Chen Xin¡¯s sister and brother had long been married with children back home, so his parents focused all their matchmaking efforts on him. However, all these years, he always felt ¡°unmoved¡± and ¡°indifferent,¡± nearly driving his parents mad.

    Actually, Chen Xin did want to find a woman he liked, but he didn¡¯t even know what kind he preferred. How was he supposed to find one?

    Forget it, this problem is too difficult. He¡¯d better solve work-related issues first; those were much simpler for him. Chen Xin stepped out the door and found that overnight, the outside world had turned into a silver wonderland¡ª

    It had snowed, and heavily.

    The few pedestrians on the road welcomed the arrival of this snow. Indeed, if it doesn¡¯t snow during Christmas, the atmosphere would be much less festive.

    Chen Xin, wearing a long coat, passed through the tunnel. As he walked by the spot where he had sung with Kitty the previous day, he couldn¡¯t help but slow down to look for her. He quickly spotted her, but today she was alone and seemed off.

    Xiao Wan was sitting against the wall, her head buried between her knees, arms tightly wrapped around her legs, gripping so hard that her knuckles were white.

    Chen Xin approached and softly asked, ¡°Kitty, are you okay? Where are your friends?¡±

    After a full minute, Xiao Wan slowly raised her head, her eyes red as she looked at him. The intense anger and sadness in her eyes left Chen Xin momentarily breathless.

    What shocked him more was what happened next. Xiao Wan suddenly shoved him hard, shouting angrily, ¡°Get lost! It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    Chen Xin stared at her in astonishment for two seconds before trying again, ¡°Did something happen? You can tell¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Why should I tell you? Get out of my sight; you make me sick!¡± Xiao Wan spat through gritted teeth.

    A mix of embarrassment and frustration surged within Chen Xin. Even someone known for his good temper couldn¡¯t stay calm after being inexplicably called ¡°disgusting.¡±

    He took a deep breath, turned, and walked away. After all, they were strangers. Since she didn¡¯t want his help, he wouldn¡¯t meddle.

    Upon arriving at the company, it took some effort to push the troubling incident out of his mind. He then worked from morning until night. Although most companies had given the afternoon off, his needed to provide important data to the headquarters in China. It wasn¡¯t until 8 p.m. that Chen Xin finished his day¡¯s work.

    Chen Xin suddenly had a thought: perhaps he should find such a unique girl; maybe then he could truly experience the feeling of being moved.

    Before he could figure it out, a servant interrupted his thoughts: ¡°Mr. Chen, the day after tomorrow is Christmas. Do you need us to help you purchase any Christmas items?¡±

    Looking at the middle-aged white woman in front of him, Chen Xin thought for a moment and said, ¡°No need, I don¡¯t require anything. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll give you all five days off. I know you value this holiday; I wish you a happy one.¡±

    The maid gave a sincere smile, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chen. I¡¯ll convey this message to the others. Merry Christmas to you too.¡±

    So, early the next morning, when Chen Xin got up, he was the only one left in the large villa.

    The villa¡¯s security measures were fully electronic, and there was a specially hired security team providing protection 365 days a year, so he wasn¡¯t worried about safety. However, he did feel that this home¡­ was a bit empty.

    If there were a hostess, it would probably be much better. Chen Xin¡¯s sister and brother had long been married with children back home, so his parents focused all their energy on urging him to marry. However, over the years, he always felt ¡°unmoved¡± and ¡°no feelings,¡± which almost drove his parents mad.

    Actually, Chen Xin did want to find a woman he liked, but he didn¡¯t even know what kind he liked, so how could he find one?

    Forget it, this problem is too difficult. He¡¯d better solve work-related issues first; that¡¯s much simpler for him. Chen Xin went out, only to find that overnight, the outside world had turned into a silver wonderland¡ª

    It had snowed, and heavily.

    The few pedestrians on the road welcomed the arrival of this snow. Indeed, if it didn¡¯t snow during Christmas, the atmosphere would be much less festive.

    Chen Xin, wearing a long coat, passed through the tunnel. When he reached the place where he sang with Kitty yesterday, he couldn¡¯t help but slow down to look for her figure. He quickly found her, but today she was alone, and something seemed off.

    Xiao Wan was sitting against the wall, her head buried between her knees, arms tightly hugging her legs, gripping so hard that her knuckles were white.

    Chen Xin walked over and softly asked, ¡°Kitty, are you okay? Where are your friends?¡±

    It took a full minute before Xiao Wan slowly raised her head. Her eyes were red as she looked at him, the anger and sadness in them so intense that Chen Xin momentarily forgot to breathe.

    But what shocked him more was what happened next. Lin Xiaowan suddenly pushed him hard and shouted angrily, ¡°Go away! Mind your own business!¡±

    Chen Xin stared at her in astonishment for two seconds, then tried again, ¡°Did something happen? You can tell¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Why should I tell you? Get out of my sight; you make me sick!¡± Xiaowan spat out each word forcefully.

    A mix of embarrassment and frustration surged within Chen Xin. Even though he was known for his good temper in the business circle, being inexplicably called ¡°disgusting¡± would make anyone upset.

    He took a deep breath and turned to leave. Forget it, they were strangers anyway. Since she didn¡¯t want his help, he wouldn¡¯t meddle.

    Upon arriving at the company, it took some effort to push the troubling incident out of his mind. He then worked from morning till evening. Although most companies had already closed for the holiday that afternoon, his needed to provide important data to the headquarters back home. It wasn¡¯t until 8 p.m. that Chen Xin finished his day¡¯s work.

    When he walked out of the company, the streets were filled with Christmas spirit. Even strangers greeted him with ¡°Merry Christmas Eve¡± with smiling faces.

    Chen Xin originally planned to drive home via the highway, but for some reason, he thought of the morning¡¯s incident at the tunnel entrance and couldn¡¯t help but worry if that girl was in trouble.

    Forget it, I¡¯ll go check on her again.

    As he braved the heavy snow towards the tunnel, he mocked himself for seeking trouble. She had called him ¡°disgusting¡± in the morning, yet here he was, approaching her again. What was he thinking?

    He mentally prepared himself, but upon reaching the tunnel, he found it empty.

    Has everyone gone to celebrate Christmas? Even Kitty? Does that mean she¡¯s okay?

    Uncertain, Chen Xin walked a few steps inside and suddenly noticed a bulge covered by a worn-out coat where Kitty used to sit.

    Scenes from crime dramas flashed through his mind, making his scalp tingle. Without thinking, he pulled away the clothes, revealing Lin Xiaowan curled up and semi-conscious.

    He quickly patted her face, ¡°Kitty, it¡¯s Chen Xin! Are you okay? I¡¯ll call an ambulance!¡±

    But as he reached for his phone, Xiaowan weakly held his hand and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, no need for an ambulance.¡±

    ¡°But you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really fine,¡± Xiaowan said hoarsely. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ cold. Could you stay with me for a while? Just a while.¡±

    In the chilly tunnel, an idea suddenly came to him, and he spoke without much thought: ¡°How about I take you to my place? It¡¯s Christmas Eve; you shouldn¡¯t be sleeping on the street.¡± As soon as he said it, he regretted it, wondering if she might think he had ulterior motives. Just as he was about to explain, he saw the girl before him nod vigorously, as if she had found a savior. ¡°Okay,¡± she said.

 Sympathy

    Chen Xin breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Then¡­ shall I help you up, or perhaps carry you through the tunnel? My home is very close.¡±

    Xiao Wan glanced at the scattered snowflakes drifting in from the tunnel entrance, her eyes flickering. ¡°No, I¡­ I can¡¯t stand up. Could you please bring your supercar over? We can take the road back.¡±

    Without much thought, Chen Xin immediately agreed. ¡°Alright, wait here; I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    He draped his overcoat over Xiao Wan and then quickly jogged out of the tunnel.

    Xiao Wan hugged his coat tightly, taking a deep breath.

    Instead of the scent of cologne, she detected a faint aroma of body wash, which inexplicably calmed her previously anxious heart.

    Within five minutes, Chen Xin had driven his Koenigsegg to the tunnel entrance.

    He then hurried back to Xiao Wan¡¯s side, efficiently lifted her into his arms, and prepared to carry her out.

    ¡°Could you cover my head with your coat? I¡¯m afraid of the cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chen Xin carefully wrapped her up, gently placed her in the passenger seat, and then walked around to the other side to get into the car.

    He leaned over to fasten her seatbelt, but Xiao Wan kept her head covered with the coat. Chen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ve turned on the heater; it¡¯s not cold. You can take the coat off.¡±

    The head under the coat shook slightly. ¡°I like your scent; I want to smell it a bit longer.¡±

    Chen Xin was taken aback by this unexpected remark. After a moment, he replied, ¡°Ahem¡­ alright, as you wish.¡±

    On Christmas Eve, the roads were nearly empty at this hour. The supercar sped smoothly along the highway, reaching home in less than fifteen minutes.

    Chen Xin carried Xiao Wan out of the car, brought her into the villa¡¯s living room, and placed her on the sofa. He heard her ask, ¡°Are we at your home?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately pulled off the coat, took a deep breath, and then, like a curious cat in a new home, propped her hands on her knees and looked around.

    Observing her expression, Chen Xin said, ¡°You seem better than before. Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Could you have a fever? I can call a private doctor for you; don¡¯t worry about the cost¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Wan shook her head and gave him a sincere smile. ¡°Thank you for taking me in.¡±

    Chen Xin blushed under the gaze of her smoky eyes and awkwardly looked away. ¡°Just don¡¯t think of me as a bad person.¡±

    ¡°If a bad person can afford such a big villa and a Koenigsegg, no one would dare call him bad.¡± Xiao Wan leaned back on the sofa and said calmly.

    Upon reflection, her words carried some depth. Chen Xin stood up and asked, ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat? I can get it for you.¡±

    ¡°Can you cover my head with your coat? I¡¯m afraid of the cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chen Xin carefully wrapped her up, gently placed her in the passenger seat, then walked around to the other side and got into the car.

    He leaned over to fasten her seatbelt, but Xiao Wan kept her head covered with the coat.

    Chen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ve turned on the heater; it¡¯s not cold. You can take the coat off.¡±

    The head under the coat shook slightly.

    ¡°I like your scent; I want to enjoy it a bit longer.¡±

    Chen Xin was taken aback by this unexpected remark.

    After a moment, he replied, ¡°Uh¡­ alright, as you wish.¡±

    On Christmas Eve, the roads were nearly empty at this hour.

    The supercar sped smoothly along the highway, reaching home in less than fifteen minutes.

    Chen Xin carried Xiao Wan out of the car, brought her into the villa, and placed her on the sofa.

    He heard her ask, ¡°Are we at your home?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately pulled off the coat, took a deep breath, and then, like a curious cat in a new home, propped her hands on her knees and looked around.

    Observing her expression, Chen Xin said, ¡°You seem better than before. Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Could you have a fever? I can call a private doctor for you; don¡¯t worry about the cost¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Wan shook her head and gave him a sincere smile. ¡°Thank you for taking me in.¡±

    Chen Xin blushed under the gaze of her smoky eyes and looked away uncomfortably.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t think of me as a bad person.¡±

    ¡°If a bad person can afford such a big villa and a Koenigsegg, no one would dare call him bad.¡±

    Xiao Wan leaned back on the sofa and said softly.

    Reflecting on her words, Chen Xin stood up and asked, ¡°Would you like something to eat? I can get it for you.¡±

    ¡°In China, I brought them along when I came here on a business trip¡ªwatch out! Don¡¯t touch! They¡¯re still a bit wary of strangers!¡± Seeing Xiaowan reaching out to pet one of the dogs¡¯ heads, Chen Xin hurriedly stopped her.

    Xiaowan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? Then I must see who¡¯s more formidable, me or them.¡± With that, she suddenly extended her hand in a claw-like gesture, causing the three dogs to bark at her warily.

    Xiaowan sat up from the sofa and let out a fierce and realistic ¡°meow.¡± The three dogs immediately cowered, taking half a step back and whimpering softly, not daring to move.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s better.¡± Xiaowan took the bowl of dog food beside her and tossed it to them. The dogs caught it and ate. She then patted the ground and said, ¡°Now, sit!¡±

    The three dogs obediently sat on the carpet.

    Chen Xin, with a look of ¡°I must have been raising fake dogs all this time,¡± said to Xiaowan, ¡°How did you do that? I¡¯ve been training them for three years, and they haven¡¯t learned!¡±

    Xiaowan wagged her finger at him and said proudly, ¡°It¡¯s all about the aura, got it?¡±

    Chen Xin looked at her cat-like proud expression and chuckled softly, ¡°Perhaps it really is about the aura.¡±

    The two chatted on the sofa for a while longer, then turned on the TV to watch Christmas programs. Chen Xin watched with great interest, while Xiaowan looked rather bored.

    Chen Xin asked, ¡°You don¡¯t like it? How about we watch a movie instead?¡±

    Xiaowan shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it; it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve watched the same content for so many years that it¡¯s become dull.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re an ABC?¡± Chen Xin asked cautiously, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Xiaowan played with her nails. ¡°I came here during high school.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ So, how old are you now?¡± Chen Xin suddenly felt a bit apprehensive, wondering if he had brought a minor home. She did look quite young.

    Fortunately, Xiaowan replied, ¡°I¡¯m twenty-one. What about you, big boss?¡±

    Chen Xin breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not really a big boss, just a second-generation rich kid building a career with family support. I¡¯m twenty-seven.¡±

    ¡°So modest.¡± Xiaowan smiled slyly. ¡°A wealthy and handsome guy like you must have tons of girls chasing after you. Tell me, big boss, how many girlfriends have you had before?¡±

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t want to tell the truth but couldn¡¯t escape Xiaowan¡¯s sharp gaze. Blushing slightly, he said, ¡°¡­Not even one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! Wasn¡¯t that white girl who broke up with you the other day one of them?¡±

    Chen Xin quickly explained, ¡°No, she was just someone I met on a blind date through a friend. I didn¡¯t have feelings for her, so I made that clear to her.¡±

    Xiaowan stared at him in astonishment for a few seconds, then showed an expression as if she¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°You mean you¡¯re a rich second-generation guy, and you¡¯re still a virgin? Are you kidding me?¡±

    How did the conversation get to this point? Chen Xin felt his face burning. He stood up and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is an appropriate topic. I¡¯ll go get some snacks.¡±

    However, behind him, Lin Xiaowan burst into laughter. ¡°So, you really are a virgin, hahaha!¡±

    Chen Xin turned back, feeling aggrieved. ¡°If you keep saying that, I might ask you to leave.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Xiaowan put on a fearful expression, but her eyes gleamed mischievously. ¡°I apologize, okay? Mr. Virgin?¡±¡°Could you cover my head with your coat? I¡¯m cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Chen Xin carefully wrapped her up, gently placed her in the passenger seat, then walked around to the other side and got into the car.

    He leaned over to fasten her seatbelt, but Xiao Wan still had her head covered with the coat. Chen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ve turned on the heater; it¡¯s not cold anymore. You can take the coat off.¡±

    The head under the coat shook slightly. ¡°I like your scent; I want to smell it a bit longer.¡±

    Chen Xin was taken aback by this sudden intimate remark. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he said, ¡°Ahem¡­ alright, as you wish.¡±

    On Christmas Eve, the streets were deserted at this hour. The sports car sped smoothly along the highway, reaching home in less than fifteen minutes.

    Chen Xin carried Xiao Wan out of the car, brought her into the villa¡¯s living room, and placed her on the sofa. He heard her ask, ¡°Are we at your home?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately pulled off the coat, took a deep breath, and then, like a curious cat in a new home, propped her hands on her knees, turning her head to look around.

    Observing her expression, Chen Xin said, ¡°You seem better than before. Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Could you have a fever? I can call a private doctor for you; don¡¯t worry about the cost¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Wan shook her head and gave him a sincere smile. ¡°Thank you for taking me in.¡±

    Chen Xin blushed under her smoky eye makeup gaze and awkwardly looked away. ¡°Just don¡¯t think of me as a bad person.¡±

    ¡°If a bad person can afford such a big villa and a Koenigsegg, no one would dare call him bad.¡± Xiao Wan leaned back on the sofa and said lightly.

    Thinking about it, her words carried some depth. Chen Xin stood up and said, ¡°Would you like something to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±

    ¡°A sandwich, please.¡±

    Ten minutes later, the two sat on the sofa, eating sandwiches with milk.

    Xiao Wan seemed much more energetic than before. She had taken off her short boots and, as if at her own home, propped her long legs on the sofa. While munching on the sandwich, she asked, ¡°Why are you alone in such a big house? Where are the servants?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Christmas; I gave them a few days off,¡± Chen Xin explained.

    ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re quite a benevolent boss.¡± Xiao Wan glanced at him, then curiously propped her chin and asked, ¡°Do you like doing good deeds? Giving employees time off, picking up poor homeless girls from the roadside? Tell me, how many have you brought home before me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the first! I don¡¯t have such perverted hobbies.¡± Chen Xin explained with a blush, ¡°Really, I just thought you looked pitiful, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Haha, alright, just teasing you.¡± Xiao Wan laughed. Perhaps her voice was a bit loud, as a series of dog barks suddenly came from a room at the end of the villa.

    Chen Xin explained, ¡°Those are stray dogs I¡¯ve adopted.¡±

    ¡°Haha, so you don¡¯t just pick up stray girls; you bring home anyone you pity.¡± Xiao Wan laughed even more.

    Feeling embarrassed, Chen Xin quickly stood up to change the subject. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll let the dogs out for you to see, okay? They¡¯re quite cute.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Chen Xin went to open the doghouse door. Three stray dogs immediately rushed to him, wagging their tails and licking his face.

    Holding dog food, Chen Xin, with a gentle smile, led the three dogs back to Xiao Wan. ¡°They¡¯ve been cooped up all day and are finally out; look how happy they are.¡±

    Xiao Wan curiously observed them. ¡°Three mixed breeds, huh? Where did you find them?¡±

    ¡°Back home. When I came here on a business trip, I brought them along¡ªcareful! Don¡¯t touch! They¡¯re still wary of strangers!¡± Seeing Xiao Wan reaching to pet one dog¡¯s head, Chen Xin quickly stopped her.

    Xiao Wan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Then let¡¯s see who¡¯s tougher.¡± With that, she suddenly extended a claw-like hand. The three dogs immediately barked at her warily.

    Xiao Wan sat up from the sofa and let out a fierce, cat-like ¡°meow.¡± The three dogs instantly cowered, stepping back in unison, whimpering softly, not daring to move.

    ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s better.¡± Xiao Wan tossed some dog food from a nearby bowl to them. The dogs caught and ate it. She then patted the floor and said, ¡°Now, sit!¡±

    The three dogs obediently sat on the carpet.

    Chen Xin, with a look of ¡°I must have been raising fake dogs,¡± asked Xiao Wan, ¡°How did you do that? I¡¯ve been training them for three years, and they haven¡¯t learned!¡±

    Xiao Wan wagged her finger at him, smugly saying, ¡°It¡¯s all about aura, got it?¡±

    Chen Xin looked at her cat-like proud expression and chuckled softly. ¡°Maybe it really is about aura.¡±

    They chatted on the sofa for a while longer, then turned on the TV to watch Christmas programs. Chen Xin watched with interest, but Xiao Wan looked bored.

    Chen Xin asked, ¡°You don¡¯t like it? We could watch a movie instead.¡±

    Xiao Wan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it; I¡¯ve just seen it so many times over the years. It¡¯s always the same contentInstead, there was a delicate and enchanting face, with doe-like eyes exuding innocence and purity, yet slightly parted rosy lips radiating sensuality. Her damp long hair clung to her slender, swan-like neck, with water droplets trickling down from the tips, forming dark spots on the gray shirt, gradually revealing the allure beneath¡­

    Chen Xin was completely immobilized; the sound from the television faded away, leaving only the accelerating rhythm of his own heartbeat.

    Xiao Wan extended her ten fingers toward him.

    Chen Xin heard himself ask, ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ten seconds! How long are you going to keep staring, big boss? Am I really that beautiful?¡± Xiao Wan approached him with her arms crossed.

    Chen Xin quickly averted his gaze, stammering, ¡°You¡­ you are indeed very beautiful¡­ but you should put on your own clothes; you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±

    Observing his flushed face, Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but lick her lips like a cat eyeing its prey, whispering, ¡°Chen Xin, didn¡¯t you want to know my name?¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but look at her again. ¡°Yes, you haven¡¯t told me yet.¡±

    Xiao Wan pressed her index finger against a droplet on her neck, sliding it down to her chest, leaning close to his ear, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. If you can guess my bra size, I¡¯ll tell you my name.¡±

 Christmas

    Chen Xin¡¯s face turned crimson. After standing frozen for two seconds, he abruptly got up, bypassed her, and walked upstairs. ¡°I¡­ uh, I¡¯ll go get your clothes.¡±

    Lin Xiaowan stared at his retreating figure in disbelief, muttering to herself, ¡°He really is a virgin.¡±

    Chen Xin almost tripped and fell down the stairs at her words. Turning back, he said helplessly, ¡°How many times are you going to bring this up? I¡­ I¡¯ve waited because I want to save that for someone I truly care about!¡±

    Xiaowan, leaning lazily against an ornate European sculpture, meowed like a cat and said, ¡°So pure, so innocent. I¡¯ve decided to call you Little Innocent Chen from now on.¡±

    Unable to argue, Chen Xin retrieved her clothes, only for Xiaowan to sprawl on the couch, refusing to wear them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. My clothes haven¡¯t been washed in ages. I¡¯ll only wear yours.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just¡­ go bare-legged. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s dangerous to dress like this in front of a man you¡¯ve barely met?¡±

    ¡°The one in danger is you,¡± Xiaowan whispered mischievously.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, nothing. Fine, I¡¯ll wear them. But can you lend me a pair of pants? My skirt hasn¡¯t been washed in forever. It¡¯s the holidays, and you can¡¯t let your guest wear dirty clothes, can you?¡± Xiaowan pleaded pitifully.

    Chen Xin had no choice but to lend her a pair of new pants and put her clothes in the washer. Thus, Xiaowan ended up lounging on the couch in oversized men¡¯s clothing, watching TV while teasing his three dogs with treats.

    In less than two hours, the dogs seemed to have adopted Xiaowan as their new master, circling her eagerly and even bringing her snacks from the kitchen.

    Chen Xin, watching this unfold, felt utterly defeated. Ruffling the dogs¡¯ heads, he asked, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of you for years. Why have you never brought me snacks?¡±

    The dogs shook him off disdainfully and scurried back to Xiaowan, wagging their tails.

    Frustrated, Chen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯m going outside to get some air.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Xiaowan waved him off without looking, adding playfully, ¡°If I steal something while you¡¯re out, it¡¯s your own bad luck.¡±

    Outside, snow blanketed the villa garden like soft cotton. Chen Xin stood by the door, gazing at the Christmas lights strung along the fence. The surreal feeling washed over him¡ªhe had picked up a girl from the roadside and was now spending Christmas with her. It felt like a dream, almost unreal.

    Perhaps it was the magic of Christmas¡ªanything seemed possible.

    Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly returned to the living room. Checking the time on his phone, he asked Xiaowan, ¡°It¡¯s not midnight yet. Want to make a Christmas wish?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Do you actually believe Santa will climb down the chimney to give us gifts?¡± Xiaowan teased. ¡°That¡¯s a trick for kids. I don¡¯t buy it.¡±

    Chen Xin awkwardly scratched his nose. ¡°Fine, then¡­ do you want to go outside and see the snow? It¡¯s beautiful right now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about snow? You act like you¡¯ve never seen it before. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a rich kid?¡± Xiaowan rolled her eyes.

    Chen Xin was left speechless. Why had her mood shifted so abruptly? Just moments ago, she¡¯d been happily playing with the dogs. It seemed the saying was true¡ªwomen¡¯s moods change faster than app updates.

    Defeated, he sat beside her and watched TV in silence. But as he quieted down, Xiaowan became interested in him again. Propping her chin in her hand, she stared at him with wide eyes.

    Feeling self-conscious, Chen Xin finally asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°A very, very delicious dish,¡± Xiaowan replied, biting her finger. ¡°I¡¯m wondering how I can savor it without wasting a single bite.¡±

    Chen Xin tried to appear stern. ¡°If you keep talking like that, I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave!¡±

    Xiaowan pouted. ¡°Virgins are so uptight. Have you forgotten how you stared at me for a full ten seconds earlier without blinking?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh, quiet! It¡¯s almost midnight.¡± Xiaowan pointed to the clock on the TV.

    Though she claimed not to believe in Santa, Chen Xin noticed her silently closing her eyes to make a wish as the final second struck.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Afterward, she yawned. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy. Can I sleep on your couch?¡±

    ¡°There are guest rooms. You can pick any of them,¡± Chen Xin offered.

    ¡°No need. The couch is fine.¡± Xiaowan pulled a blanket over herself and waved him off. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight. Call me if you need anything.¡± Chen Xin turned off the TV and went to his room. But when he entered the bathroom to brush his teeth, he saw a line of cursive writing scrawled on the mirror in black lipstick:

    ¡°To meet you, Mr. Virgin.¡±

    Chen Xin let out a bitter laugh and tried wiping it off, only to realize it smeared even worse. Giving up, he decided to wait until the maid came back to clean it properly.

    Both of them, separated by a ceiling, drifted off into their own dreams. Outside, the heavy snow in the city gradually lessened, with fine snowflakes dancing in the cold wind.

    In a different part of the city, a man with a cold and stern face was racing down a desolate road on his motorcycle. Snowflakes brushed against his helmet, unable to touch his icy face. He sped faster than the winter wind, arriving at the entrance of a tunnel¡ªa secret hideout of his band.

    Parking his bike, he rushed inside without even removing his helmet. But the figure he had expected to find curled up inside was gone.

    The man, whose stage name was Lengqing (Cold Emotion), yanked off his helmet in panic and shouted toward the depths of the tunnel, ¡°Xiaowan! Lin Xiaowan!¡±

    His voice echoed back, but there was no response.

    His expression shifted from panic to regret and guilt. Gripping his hair tightly, he seemed desperate for clarity. After a long moment, he snapped back to reality and frantically dialed Xiaowan¡¯s phone number.

    The call was immediately rejected. A text followed:

    ¡°Go to hell.¡±

    Lengqing exhaled in relief, but his brows quickly furrowed again¡ªnot in guilt this time, but in irritation. He kicked the tunnel wall a few times in frustration, then turned and left.

    ¡­

    Chen Xin, on the other hand, slept soundly through the night. The morning sunlight poured through the windows, gently waking him. Slowly opening his eyes, he was startled to find Lin Xiaowan¡¯s face inches away from him.

    He gasped and jolted upright. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Xiaowan, who had been crouching beside his bed, smiled mischievously. ¡°Just wanted to see if you¡¯re as handsome asleep as you are awake.¡±

    Rubbing his temples, Chen Xin realized he had forgotten to lock his door. ¡°Please leave. I need to freshen up.¡±

    Xiaowan stood up with a cheeky grin. ¡°The sun¡¯s out, the snow is melting. I¡¯m leaving. Just came to say goodbye.¡±

    Chen Xin froze. ¡°You¡¯re leaving already? At least stay for breakfast.¡±

    She looked at him slyly. ¡°What, can¡¯t bear to see me go?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve already troubled you enough.¡± Turning toward the door, she added with a smile, ¡°Next time you pass by the tunnel, I¡¯ll sing a few songs for you as rent for last night, okay?¡±

    Chen Xin smiled faintly. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Xiaowan leaned against the doorframe, smirking. ¡°While you were asleep, I touched you from head to toe.¡± She gave him a sly wink. ¡°You¡¯ve got abs¡ªand a V-line, too. Impressive!¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Before he could respond, Xiaowan darted out of the room, laughing.

    Chen Xin flushed as he threw off his blanket and hastily checked his clothes. His sleepwear seemed untouched. She must have been joking, right?

    Then he blushed even harder. He was a grown man¡ªwhy was he getting so worked up over this? How could he possibly lose out in a situation like this?

    Still sighing, he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. That¡¯s when he noticed the mirror again. Xiaowan had added a new line below her previous message:

    ¡°By the way, you have a great a**.¡±

    Eyes widening, Chen Xin immediately checked the back of his pajamas in the mirror. Sure enough, there was a little black heart drawn with her lipstick.

    ¡°¡­Damn it!¡±

    ¡­

    That afternoon, after wandering aimlessly through the city streets, Lin Xiaowan returned to her usual haunt. Both Pine (Pai¡¯en) and Lengqing were already there.

    Without acknowledging Lengqing, Xiaowan turned to Pine and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Maqi? Still not back?¡±

    Pine shook his head. ¡°Nope. She¡¯s probably having a great time with her family. Maybe she¡¯ll be back in a few days?¡±

    But Xiaowan wasn¡¯t as optimistic. She tried calling Maqi, but no one answered. Sighing, she finally said, ¡°Forget it. I need to tell you something¡ªI¡¯m leaving the band for a while. Pine, looks like you¡¯re the lead singer again.¡±

    Pine smirked knowingly. ¡°Found a new guy, huh? Is it that Koenigsegg owner from last time?¡±

    Xiaowan giggled. ¡°Smart boy.¡±

    Pine gave her a thumbs-up. ¡°Go for it.¡±

    She began packing her belongings into a bag. As she was about to leave, Lengqing, who had been silent all this time, grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xiaowan asked innocently.

    His voice low and strained, Lengqing murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± She smiled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Don¡¯t miss me, okay?¡±

    Before she could take another step, Lengqing pulled her into a tight embrace from behind. His warm breath brushed against her neck as he pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yesterday. I didn¡¯t mean to argue or leave you alone. Please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad,¡± Xiaowan replied calmly, turning to face him. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said? You¡¯re just a¡­ fling. Who gets mad at a fling?¡±

    The cruel words paired with her sweet, innocent expression hurt him more than any fight. But what terrified Lengqing most was the thought that she might not even say such things to him anymore. Desperately, he begged, ¡°Don¡¯t go to that man. Let me take care of you instead.¡±

    Xiaowan softened for a moment, seeing the exhaustion in his dark-circled eyes. Sighing, she touched his cheek. ¡°Lengqing, you know you can¡¯t take care of me. No one can. I don¡¯t want to drag you down.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a burden! If only you¡¯d let me¡ª¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Xiaowan smiled bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re a good man. I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t want you wasting your life on me. Go back to school when you have time. Don¡¯t skip class like me.¡±

    With that, she picked up her bag and walked out the door.

    Lengqing called after her, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. You¡¯ll dump him and come back soon anyway.¡±

    Xiaowan paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. She turned back to flash him a radiant smile. ¡°This one¡¯s different. I might stick around a while longer.¡±

 hot dog

    In the afternoon, Chen Xin sat in the company¡¯s large conference room, listening to his subordinates report on last quarter¡¯s performance and propose suggestions for the next quarter. However, he couldn¡¯t focus at all¡ªhis mind kept conjuring up the same scene.

    A girl in a gray blouse slowly walked down the stairs, water droplets from her hair trickling onto her snow-white neck. Then she raised her fingers, catching the droplet and trailing it down her slender neck¡­

    ¡°Mr. Chen? Mr. Chen?¡±

    The coarse voice of product manager Harold jolted Chen Xin back to reality. He stammered a bit. ¡°Sorry, what part were we at?¡±

    Harold looked at him curiously. ¡°We¡¯re done. Just waiting for your conclusion now.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Chen Xin quickly glanced through the materials submitted by his team and said, ¡°The issues from last quarter have been summarized well. As long as we don¡¯t repeat the same mistakes, it¡¯ll be fine. Also, on the product development side, I have a suggestion. Harold, what do you think about modifying the appearance of laptops? Would that attract customers?¡±

    ¡°Appearance? You mean colors? Like gold or rose gold?¡± Harold teased, prompting chuckles from the team.

    Chen Xin smiled. ¡°That could work, but I meant the shape. For example, if the laptop lid was designed to look like a small animal¡ªlike a cat¡ªit might attract many female customers.¡±

    ¡°Custom-shaped lids?¡± Harold nodded. ¡°Interesting idea, but since we mainly produce components, we¡¯d need to coordinate with the laptop manufacturers.¡±

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Chen Xin said. ¡°As for the other points, I think your ideas are solid. Let¡¯s proceed as planned, and let me know if any issues arise. Meeting adjourned.¡±

    Cheers erupted as everyone quickly left the room. Chen Xin¡¯s dislike for dragging out meetings had earned him a good reputation in the company. As he tidied the materials on the table, Harold patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy? I¡¯ve known you for years, and zoning out during a meeting? That¡¯s not like you,¡± Harold said with a grin.

    Chen Xin rubbed his nose awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, maybe I didn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t give me that. I can tell it¡¯s not just lack of sleep,¡± Harold leaned in mischievously. ¡°It¡¯s a woman, isn¡¯t it? Is it Loreal? I thought you weren¡¯t into her.¡±

    ¡°Loreal?¡± Chen Xin was stunned before remembering the woman he had been set up with on a blind date. Shaking his head, he replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not her. I¡¯ve stopped contacting her.¡±

    ¡°Then who is it? You know me, buddy. If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t let it go,¡± Harold insisted.

    Chen Xin sighed with a small smile. ¡°Fine. If you must know¡­ there¡¯s this girl I met. She¡¯s quite unique, but that¡¯s it. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡±

    ¡°Nothing? Then why were you zoning out thinking about her during the meeting?¡± Harold said, unconvinced. ¡°Let me guess¡ªher face keeps popping into your head, sometimes you even hear her voice, and when you check the rearview mirror while driving, you catch yourself smiling like an idiot.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s heart sank. ¡°If I have these symptoms, what does it mean?¡±

    ¡°It means you¡¯re smitten, my friend! Finally! I was starting to wonder if you had a problem down there,¡± Harold teased, giving Chen Xin a hearty slap on the back.

    ¡°Smitten? No way. I¡¯ve only known her for a few days¡­¡±

    ¡°Time has nothing to do with it,¡± Harold said knowingly. ¡°I fell in love with my wife at first sight. We got married within three months, and now we have two kids.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t even know her name. How could I be smitten?¡±

    ¡°Then go ask her! The universe doesn¡¯t hand out second chances often. If you don¡¯t act now and someone else takes her, you¡¯ll regret it,¡± Harold urged.

    After Harold left, Chen Xin sat alone in the conference room, lost in thought. On one hand, his friend made sense; on the other, he couldn¡¯t believe he had fallen for someone so easily.

    He considered calling Ye Chen for advice but didn¡¯t want to be laughed at by that notorious playboy.

    Oh, forget it. Hadn¡¯t he always wanted to find true love? If it¡¯s really here, he should just face it and learn as he goes. Harold was right¡ªhe needed to find out her name as soon as possible.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    After working in his office for another half-hour, his phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.

    Thinking it might be a client, he answered, ¡°Hello?¡±

    The voice on the other end made his ears tingle. ¡°Good afternoon, Chen Xiaoguai. Are you off work yet?¡±

    His tone, though he didn¡¯t notice it, was laced with joy. ¡°How did you get my number?¡±

    ¡°Two nights ago, when you stepped out to watch the snow, I snuck a business card from your bag,¡± Xiao Wan replied. ¡°I told you I¡¯d steal from you, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯re so careless, dummy.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled. ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to return your coat. I¡¯m at your company¡¯s reception desk, but the lady says I can¡¯t see you without an appointment. I¡¯m heartbroken! Come be my prince on a white horse, okay?¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    After hanging up, Chen Xin eagerly left his office. Even when his secretary tried to stop him to sign documents, he declined. The entire company saw their usually composed CEO dash out like the wind.

    In the lobby, Xiao Wan, with smoky eye makeup, leaned against the desk, looking bored. When she saw him, she smirked and threw a challenging glance at the receptionist. ¡°Told you he¡¯d come down in five minutes.¡±

    The receptionist glared at her, clearly annoyed.

    Xiao Wan ignored her, turning to Chen Xin, who had jogged over. ¡°Where¡¯s your white horse? No white horse, no prince, low rating!¡±

    Chen Xin, slightly out of breath, replied, ¡°Uh¡­ where am I supposed to find a horse on such short notice?¡±

    Xiao Wan burst out laughing. ¡°Dummy, I was joking! Here¡¯s your coat, but I couldn¡¯t afford to have it cleaned. You¡¯ll have to wash it yourself.¡±

    Chen Xin took his coat and said, ¡°Your dress and jacket are in my car. I was planning to return them to you on my way home today.¡±

    ¡°No rush for that,¡± Xiao Wan said, fiddling with her nails. ¡°Aren¡¯t you off work yet? It¡¯s already past office hours. I want to have dinner with you.¡±

    Before Chen Xin could reply, the receptionist interjected, ¡°Our Mr. Chen is very busy. He works overtime every day and wouldn¡¯t leave work for casual company, let alone have dinner with someone unimportant.¡±

    Xiao Wan¡¯s expression instantly turned icy. She shot the receptionist a sharp glare, then sweetly wrapped her arms around Chen Xin¡¯s neck, her tone soft and sweet. ¡°No overtime today, okay? Have dinner with me, little Chen.¡±

    Chen Xin could hardly breathe. Stammering, he said, ¡°Alright. Wait here for me¡ªI¡¯ll go upstairs to grab my jacket.¡±

    Once he left, Xiao Wan turned abruptly, grabbed the receptionist by the collar, and dug her nails into her neck. In a cold, low voice, she said, ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, stop getting in my way. I may be just ¡®company,¡¯ but I¡¯ll do whatever it takes if you push me.¡±

    She released the stunned and frightened receptionist, who covered her neck and didn¡¯t dare to look back at her.

    Hmph, not on my level. Don¡¯t even try to cross me.

    Xiao Wan hummed softly, playing with a potted orchid nearby. Chen Xin soon returned, and she immediately ran to him, linking her arm through his. ¡°Let¡¯s go, little Chen.¡±

    They took the elevator down to the parking garage, unaware that a crowd of company employees had followed them. They stared in disbelief as Chen Xin personally opened the car door for Xiao Wan, then drove off with her in his sports car.

    ¡°Wow, he really ditched overtime for her. I think this one¡¯s serious.¡±

    ¡°Not just serious¡ªdid you see how careful he was with her? I¡¯ve never seen him like that.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, there goes my five bucks¡­¡±

    Harold, grinning from ear to ear, turned to the others. ¡°I told you so, didn¡¯t I? Who were the idiots who bet he ran out because he needed the bathroom? Your money¡¯s mine now!¡±

    In the car, Chen Xin asked Xiao Wan, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±

    Instead of answering, she suddenly changed the topic. ¡°That receptionist at your office had such an attitude. Why haven¡¯t you fired her yet?¡±

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°She¡¯s a distant relative of my mom¡¯s who insisted on putting her here. My mom doesn¡¯t want me to offend anyone, so I¡¯ve kept her on for now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so she¡¯s got connections. No wonder she¡¯s so arrogant.¡± Xiao Wan scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡±

    ¡°Sorry she upset you. I¡¯ll talk to her later,¡± Chen Xin said gently. ¡°Have you decided what you want to eat? I heard there¡¯s a three-star Michelin restaurant nearby called BForest. It¡¯s quite famous¡ªdo you want to go?¡±

    ¡°No! Why does having money mean eating expensive food? Are you showing off?¡± Xiao Wan shot him an annoyed look.

    Caught off guard, Chen Xin gave a helpless smile. ¡°Alright, then what do you want? I¡¯ll go wherever you want.¡±

    Glancing out the window, Xiao Wan suddenly pointed and exclaimed, ¡°Stop the car! I want to eat that!¡±

    Chen Xin braked suddenly, looking in the direction she pointed. ¡°That? The hot dog stand?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Xiao Wan said, pouting.

    Chen Xin chuckled. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. Wait here¡ªI¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±

    ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go together. There¡¯s a river nearby; we can sit by the water and eat. How romantic is that?¡±

    Sitting by the river in this freezing weather?

    Chen Xin wanted to dissuade her, but Xiao Wan had already opened the door and gotten out. He had no choice but to follow. They each bought a hot dog and a cup of coffee, then sat by the riverbank.

    Xiao Wan took a bite of her hot dog before turning to him. ¡°What sauce did you get on yours?¡±

    ¡°Honey mustard.¡±

    ¡°Let me try it!¡±

    Chen Xin turned his hot dog to the side he hadn¡¯t bitten, but Xiao Wan deliberately took a bite from where he¡¯d eaten. Her cheeks puffed as she chewed. ¡°This is delicious! Yours is better than mine! Let¡¯s switch!¡±

    Before he could respond, she snatched his hot dog and handed him hers.

    Chen Xin resigned himself to eating her ketchup-topped hot dog, but after only a few bites, she grabbed that too. ¡°I changed my mind! Ketchup is good too. Both are mine now. Ha-ha!¡±

    He gave her an exasperated look. ¡°Then what am I supposed to eat?¡±

    Grinning, she broke off a piece of the hot dog sausage and held it to his lips. ¡°Here, you can have half of this.¡±

    The implicit intimacy in her action made Chen Xin blush. He avoided her hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just drink my coffee.¡±

    Xiao Wan giggled triumphantly, devouring both hot dogs. Then she tore off a piece of lettuce and shoved it into his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t like this part¡ªyou eat it.¡±

    Chen Xin chewed the tasteless lettuce helplessly. His face stung from the cold wind, and his stomach growled, yet he watched the woman beside him eat with gusto.

    What am I even doing? he thought bitterly. Is this what being smitten feels like¡ªwillingly suffering? I¡¯m a rich guy! Why am I bending over backward like this?

    The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. Just as he was about to voice his discontent, Xiao Wan suddenly leaned into his arms.

    All his anger melted away like the sun dipping below the horizon.

    Xiao Wan nuzzled against his chest, murmuring, ¡°Your embrace is so warm. I like it.¡±

    Chen Xin looked down at her face. ¡°You¡¯ve got honey mustard on the corner of your mouth¡ªhey, what are your hands doing?¡±

    ¡°Touching your abs!¡±

    ¡°¡­No! Stop that!¡±

 trap

    ¡°Hmph, you stingy thing.¡± Xiao Wan reluctantly pulled her hand back. Gazing at the darkening sky, she asked, ¡°Hey, Chen Xiaoguai, how did you get such a great figure? Do you go to the gym often?¡±

    Chen Xin steadied his breathing before answering, ¡°No, but I practice martial arts.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Xiao Wan propped her chin on her hands, her curiosity growing. ¡°How long have you been doing it? What do you practice?¡±

    ¡°I started in elementary school, so more than ten years now,¡± Chen Xin replied. ¡°Mainly staff techniques, but I¡¯ve dabbled in a bit of everything.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look like it at all. I thought you were just a nerd who only knows how to study.¡± Xiao Wan pinched his cheek. ¡°With a face as sweet as yours, I figured you¡¯d be easy to bully.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s me now. When I was a kid, I was really naughty. I had a best friend who grew up with me, and we caused no end of trouble for our families.¡±

    ¡°Oh? So, what made you settle down later?¡± Xiao Wan asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe I just grew up.¡± Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Work keeps me pretty busy, so I don¡¯t have the energy to mess around anymore. But my best friend? He hasn¡¯t changed. He¡¯s still as mischievous as ever.¡±

    Xiao Wan shook her head. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t grow up¡ªyou just look like you did.¡±

    Chen Xin blinked. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Because if you¡¯d really grown up, you wouldn¡¯t be sitting here eating dinner and enjoying the night view with a street performer,¡± Xiao Wan teased, flashing him a playful smile. Her words made Chen Xin blush again. He felt utterly defeated. Even with her heavy smoky eye makeup tonight, she still looked breathtakingly beautiful.

    A cold wind swept along the riverbank, and Chen Xin noticed her shivering slightly. Xiao Wan was still wearing a skirt, even after changing outfits. He sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the car. It¡¯s getting colder¡ªyou might catch a cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Just drop me off at the tunnel,¡± she replied.

    Chen Xin froze. ¡°You¡¯re living in a tunnel?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Do I look like someone who can afford a house?¡± Xiao Wan said casually.

    Chen Xin frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you money before? Maybe you could use that to rent a place¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean the sixteen hundred you gave me? I already spent it all on dinner for everyone,¡± Xiao Wan admitted, kicking at the pebbles by her feet.

    Chen Xin rubbed his temples in exasperation. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you more. Find a hotel to stay in¡ªit¡¯s too cold outside. You¡¯ll freeze.¡±

    ¡°No thanks. I don¡¯t like hotels. People come and go, and hotels can never keep anyone. It¡¯s just too sad,¡± Xiao Wan replied thoughtfully.

    Chen Xin chuckled at her whimsical reasoning. After a brief pause, he clenched his fists and finally voiced the thought buried deep in his heart. ¡°Well¡­ if you don¡¯t want a hotel, you could come stay at my place. My guest rooms are empty anyway¡ª¡±

    ¡°Deal! It¡¯s settled then!¡± Before he could finish, Xiao Wan darted off toward his Koenigsegg, calling back impatiently, ¡°Hurry up and unlock the car! It¡¯s freezing out here!¡±

    Chen Xin shook his head with a laugh, pulling out the keys to unlock the door. Watching her hop into the car, he teased, ¡°Were you just waiting for me to say that?¡±

    Xiao Wan stuck out her tongue at him. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Chen Xin started the car, suddenly struck by a thought. ¡°Does this count as me riding in on a white horse to rescue you?¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Xiao Wan reached over to gently ruffle his hair. ¡°Maybe. If there really are white knights in this world.¡±

    Back at the villa, Xiao Wan was like a child in an amusement park, exploring every corner excitedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look at your place on Christmas Eve. Can I take my time looking around today?¡±

    ¡°Of course, feel free. You¡¯ll be living here from now on,¡± Chen Xin said with a smile.

    ¡°So generous? Don¡¯t you have any off-limits areas?¡± she teased.

    ¡°Well, maybe the wine cellar. Best not go there. Everything else is fine,¡± Chen Xin replied.

    ¡°Then the wine cellar it is! Lead the way!¡± Xiao Wan declared instantly.

    It felt like a trap, but Chen Xin could only sigh and show her to the cellar. As he was about to introduce his collection, Xiao Wan gasped. She wandered among the shelves, muttering, ¡°Roman¨¦e-Conti, Lafite, Petrus¡­ and these rare vintages. Do you know, Chen Xiaoguai, if N City¡¯s wine enthusiasts found out about this, they¡¯d break in and steal everything?¡±

    Chen Xin wasn¡¯t concerned about wine enthusiasts. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised. ¡°You know wine?¡±

    ¡°Why? Surprised a street performer like me knows something about wine?¡± Xiao Wan raised an eyebrow.

    Chen Xin shook his head. ¡°Not surprised¡ªdelighted.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re so delighted, why not gift me a bottle as a souvenir?¡± Xiao Wan said coquettishly.

    Chen Xin hesitated. Every bottle in this cellar had been painstakingly acquired. Even his best friend Ye Chen had to beg for days for one. But now, this girl¡­

    After a brief pause, Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Sure, take your pick.¡±

    Xiao Wan was momentarily stunned before breaking into a mischievous grin. ¡°Any bottle? Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± She scanned the shelves. ¡°Lafite? Nah. Mouton? Not the right vintage¡­ Oh! A 1976 Roman¨¦e-Conti! I¡¯ll take this one!¡±

    She picked up the bottle, hugging it to her chest.

    Chen Xin almost coughed up blood. Of all bottles, she chose his favorite! But looking into her bright, starry eyes, he nodded reluctantly. ¡°Fine¡­ it¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s drink it now!¡± Xiao Wan said, reaching for a corkscrew.

    ¡°Wait! No!¡± Chen Xin shouted, panicking.

    Xiao Wan paused mid-action, then burst into laughter. ¡°Do you know how pitiful you look right now? Like a little puppy who just lost its toy!¡±

    She handed the bottle back, pinching his cheek. ¡°Just messing with you. I wouldn¡¯t actually take your favorite wine, silly.¡±

    Chen Xin let out a breath of relief before muttering, ¡°You¡¯re so¡ª¡±

    ¡°So bad? Too late to realize that now!¡± Xiao Wan giggled, darting out of the cellar. ¡°I¡¯m stuck to you now. Don¡¯t even think about shaking me off!¡±

    As Chen Xin shook his head helplessly, he carefully placed the wine back. When he returned to the living room, Xiao Wan was sprawled on the couch, watching TV with his three dogs eagerly gathered around her.

    Despite his exasperation, a small smile formed on Chen Xin¡¯s lips. For the first time in a while, the big, empty house didn¡¯t feel quite so lonely.

    Chen Xin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the study to work. You can do whatever you want. Call me if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Go, go.¡± Xiao Wan waved a small hand from the back of the sofa.

    Chen Xin walked into the study to work, but within half an hour, Xiao Wan called him from downstairs: ¡°Chen Xiaoguai, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of food in the kitchen. Just grab something and heat it in the microwave.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t want to move. Can you bring me something?¡±

    Is she really this lazy? Not only was he giving her a place to stay as a landlord, but now he had to serve her food? Chen Xin sighed as he went downstairs and asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±

    ¡°Yogurt and apple pie.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no apple pie, but there¡¯s pineapple pie. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±

    Chen Xin handed her the food and was about to go back upstairs when Xiao Wan grabbed him. ¡°Stay and watch TV with me. This horror movie is so scary.¡±

    ¡°I still have work to do¡­¡±

    ¡°You can work later. The movie isn¡¯t that long. Stay with me. I¡¯m so scared,¡± Xiao Wan tugged at his sleeve, looking pitiful as she pouted.

    Chen Xin had no choice but to sit down beside her. His lap became Xiao Wan¡¯s pillow. Yet no matter how he looked at her, she didn¡¯t seem scared at all.

    When a side character in the movie got killed, she rolled her eyes and commented, ¡°What an idiot! Why walk into the dark like that? Just turn on the light, and you¡¯d see the boss standing there!¡±

    When the main villain was defeated, she said with a knowing look, ¡°You have to finish them off! See? He didn¡¯t, and now the guy¡¯s back up again!¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her. ¡°Is this what you mean by being scared?¡±

    Xiao Wan grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest, saying seriously, ¡°I was scared at first. But since you¡¯re here, I¡¯m not afraid anymore.¡±

    Her hand holding his made Chen Xin¡¯s palm feel hot. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Alright, the movie¡¯s over. I really need to get back to work.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, fine, go.¡±

    Because of the movie, Chen Xin worked until eleven o¡¯clock before he finally finished his tasks. After a quick wash, he greeted Xiao Wan and went to bed.

    About ten minutes later, Lin Xiaowan quietly pushed open his door and sneaked in. Chen Xin wasn¡¯t yet asleep, and when he opened his eyes, he saw her crouching by his bed. He sighed helplessly and rubbed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely remember to lock the door next time. What is it now?¡±

    Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes sparkled as she whispered, ¡°Nothing much. I just suddenly realized you don¡¯t know my name yet.¡±

    Fully awake now, Chen Xin turned to her. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s your name?¡±

    She leaned close to his ear and whispered, her voice sultry and teasing, ¡°Lin. Xiao. Miao.¡±

    Chen Xin felt all the blood rush to his ears. He tried to keep his composure. ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s a¡­ very nice name. It suits you, like a little cat.¡±

    In the dark, Xiao Wan smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously like a cat¡¯s. ¡°Do you know how a cat catches its prey?¡±

    Chen Xin thought for a moment. ¡°It quietly waits on the side and pounces when the prey isn¡¯t paying attention?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a wild cat. I¡¯m talking about pet cats,¡± Xiao Wan corrected. ¡°They set traps without you realizing it, making their prey willingly walk into them.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled. ¡°Are you talking about me? Did you set a trap for me to fall into?¡±

    ¡°Foolish Xiaoguai.¡± Xiao Wan reached out to stroke his face and said softly, ¡°You¡¯ve already fallen in.¡±

 sugar daddy

    When Chen Xin woke up the next morning, he found that Lin Xiaowan was already up and playing frisbee with his three dogs in the backyard garden. The dogs barked excitedly, running all over the yard after the frisbee Xiaowan threw, clearly having a great time.

    Chen Xin, usually busy with work, barely had time to play with the dogs. The housekeeper only took them out for walks at set times. Now, with Xiaowan around, the dogs finally had someone to play with.

    Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Chen Xin walked over and leaned against the doorframe, watching Xiaowan¡¯s lively figure under the crisp winter morning sunlight. Suddenly, he froze and called out, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, what are you wearing?¡±

    Xiaowan shouted back, ¡°Your clothes!¡±

    Chen Xin walked over and asked, ¡°What happened to your own clothes?¡±

    ¡°I only have two dresses, and didn¡¯t you tell me not to wear dresses in the winter?¡±

    Chen Xin rubbed his temples in frustration and said, ¡°You¡¯re so young. Why are you living like this? Even as a street performer, you should be earning something. Didn¡¯t you think about saving a little?¡±

    Xiaowan immediately stopped throwing the frisbee and glared at him, crossing her arms. ¡°What, Mr. Big Shot? Do you feel so successful in life that you want to lecture losers like me just to boost your sense of superiority?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Chen Xin said helplessly. ¡°I just think you could live a better life¡­¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t bother yourself with it. It¡¯s my life, and I¡¯ll live it however I want.¡± Xiaowan snorted coldly, bypassed him, and went back into the living room.

    Chen Xin sighed and followed her. He was about to say more but saw Xiaowan curled up on the sofa, looking small and fragile. His words of advice suddenly got stuck in his throat. After all, this was her life. Who was he to criticize someone else¡¯s choices? In his eyes, her life might seem messy, but everyone has their struggles. Perhaps she had her reasons.

    With that thought, Chen Xin softened his tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My tone just now may have come across as condescending, but I didn¡¯t mean to look down on you. I just¡­ care about you.¡±

    Xiaowan looked up at him pitifully and said in a small voice, ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to save money, but I don¡¯t make much from singing every day. You¡¯re a spoiled rich kid who doesn¡¯t understand the hardships of ordinary life. Do you think it¡¯s easy to live in this city? This is N City!¡±

    Hearing this, Chen Xin felt even guiltier. He quickly took out a card from his wallet and handed it to Xiaowan. She blinked at him in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s this card for?¡±

    ¡°Take it to buy some clothes for yourself. And other necessities too. There¡¯s nothing here for a girl to use. Since you¡¯re staying here, you¡¯ll need basic supplies.¡±

    Xiaowan gave him a doubtful look and said pitifully, ¡°But I don¡¯t have money to pay you back¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to,¡± Chen Xin said quickly.

    ¡°Really?¡± Xiaowan asked hesitantly. ¡°Can I buy the bag I like? And some shoes?¡±

    Her cautious tone made Chen Xin¡¯s heart ache. She must have had a tough life before, he thought. Without hesitation, he said, ¡°Yes, you can buy whatever you want.¡±

    Xiaowan¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. She cheered, threw her arms around him, and exclaimed, ¡°Chen Xiaoguai, you¡¯re the best! Haha, I¡¯m heading out now!¡±

    The next morning, Chen Xin offered to drive Lin Xiaowan to the bustling shopping district of N City on his way to work. Xiaowan happily accepted and waved him off with a cheerful ¡°Work hard!¡± as she got out of the car.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Once his car disappeared from sight, her innocent expression faded. Glancing at the card in her hand, she sighed. ¡°Well, since your owner annoyed me, let¡¯s see how much this card can handle today.¡±

    She confidently walked into a nearby Chanel store. The blonde sales associate immediately brightened at the sight of her. ¡°Kitty! Long time no see! We¡¯ve just got some new bags in. Want me to show them to you?¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Xiaowan replied, pointing to the standout new arrivals on display. ¡°Can you pack them all up for me?¡±

    ¡°For others, maybe not. But for you, of course!¡± The associate grinned. ¡°Would you like to see anything else? Some of our new clothing items would suit you perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Sure, show me.¡± Xiaowan followed her casually.

    Twenty minutes later, the associate handed her seven or eight shopping bags. Just as Xiaowan pulled out Chen Xin¡¯s card, the associate said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay. Mr. Brown has instructed us to charge your purchases to him.¡±

    Xiaowan blinked, her face full of mock innocence. ¡°But I dumped him ages ago. Didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    The sales associate hesitated before delivering the message Mr. Brown had asked her to convey. ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡­ but Mr. Brown wanted me to tell you that his feelings for you haven¡¯t changed, and he hopes¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, Xiaowan¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°Then tell him for me: I don¡¯t need his fake affections. Besides, I¡¯ve found someone new¡ªhandsome, generous, and much more skilled in bed than his dead-fish performance.¡±

    The sales associate froze in awkward silence. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡±

    Xiaowan handed over the card calmly. ¡°Charge it. And don¡¯t forget to relay my exact words, okay?¡±

    Five minutes later, Xiaowan left the store with her bags, heading toward the Gucci store next door. Behind her, the blonde associate stood with a distressed look, pulling a colleague aside. ¡°Did you hear what she just said? How am I supposed to tell Mr. Brown that? I¡¯ll lose my job!¡±

    Her colleague shrugged sympathetically. ¡°At least Mr. Brown isn¡¯t the petty type. It could be worse. Remember her last sugar daddy? When they broke up, he almost trashed our other branch!¡±

    The blonde associate frowned. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. Why do rich men go for this type?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Maybe they¡¯re just bored and looking for trouble.¡±

    Meanwhile, Chen Xin was in a meeting, discussing product details with his team. Since the discussion involved company secrets, he¡¯d asked everyone to leave their phones outside. Unbeknownst to him, his own phone had been buzzing non-stop with calls from the local bank.

    Moments later, his assistant entered the room, looking worried. ¡°Mr. Chen, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but the bank manager has been trying to reach you. He said it¡¯s urgent and called the office line since he couldn¡¯t reach your mobile. Should I transfer the call here?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded, plugging in the conference phone. ¡°Put it through.¡±

    The product manager, Harold, asked nervously, ¡°The bank? Is there an issue with company funds?¡±

    Chen Xin, calm as always, replied, ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡± He answered on speakerphone, so the team could hear.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Chen. Sorry to disturb you during work,¡± the middle-aged manager began, ¡°but we¡¯ve noticed some suspicious activity on your personal account this morning and wanted to confirm.¡±

    ¡°My personal account?¡± Chen Xin asked, puzzled

    ¡°Yes. In the past half hour, your card has been used to spend $767,000 on luxury women¡¯s fashion, shoes, bags, and cosmetics. Since this doesn¡¯t match your usual spending patterns, we suspected fraud and have temporarily frozen the card. Security at the mall has also detained the person using it. Would you like us to call the police?¡±

    The room went silent. After a brief pause, Chen Xin asked, ¡°The person using the card¡ªher name is Lin Xiaowan, correct?¡±

    ¡°Let me check¡­ Yes, that¡¯s the name.¡±

    ¡°The card was given to her by me. It¡¯s not fraud,¡± Chen Xin said calmly. ¡°She¡¯s a friend of mine. Please have security release her and return the card. All her purchases are authorized.¡±

    ¡°Understood. We apologize, Mr. Chen. As one of our valued clients, we were just being cautious.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize. I appreciate your diligence.¡±

    Ending the call, Chen Xin looked up. ¡°Where were we? Let¡¯s continue.¡±

    But his team sat frozen, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.

    Chen Xin rapped his knuckles on the table. ¡°Focus! We¡¯re still in a meeting!¡±

    The team scrambled to compose themselves, though whispers and glances spread as soon as the meeting ended.

    Back in the office, Harold couldn¡¯t contain his thoughts any longer. He entered Chen Xin¡¯s office under the guise of casual conversation.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Harold began with a grin. ¡°How does it feel to blow $767,000 in one go?¡±

    Chen Xin smiled faintly. ¡°Pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Look, I know I might be ruining the mood here,¡± Harold said, trying to sound lighthearted. ¡°But seriously, a girl who spends that much on day one? She¡¯s probably not in this for your personality.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled softly. ¡°Relax, Harold. We¡¯re just friends.¡±

    ¡°Friends?¡± Harold¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So, nothing¡¯s happened between you, and you still let her spend that much?!¡±

    Chen Xin shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s had a rough life. I just wanted to help her out.¡±

    ¡°Chen, $767,000 isn¡¯t ¡®a little help.¡¯ That¡¯s life-changing money for most people.¡± Harold leaned forward. ¡°You¡¯re a smart guy. Don¡¯t let someone take advantage of your kindness.¡±

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, Harold,¡± Chen Xin said, his tone firm. ¡°Thanks for the concern, but I¡¯ve got it handled.¡±

    Harold hesitated but nodded. ¡°Alright. Just know I¡¯m here if you need advice.¡±

    As Harold left, Chen Xin¡¯s expression darkened. It wasn¡¯t the money that bothered him¡ªit was the thought of whether Xiaowan¡¯s playful charm had been used on other men before.

 Easy mark

    In the evening, Chen Xin returned home with a slightly heavy heart. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a pile of luxury brand bags and shoes stacked like a small mountain on the carpet in the living room. His three dogs were fighting over a Jimmy Choo high heel as if it were a toy.

    Lin Xiaowan, dressed in an old leather skirt, was lying amidst the pile of clothes and bags, playing games on a newly bought iPad. When she saw him come in, she gave him a bratty glare and said, ¡°It¡¯s already nine o¡¯clock! You¡¯re not being a good boy at all. Coming home so late¡ªare you trying to starve me?¡±

    Chen Xin frowned slightly. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat dinner? Didn¡¯t I tell you there¡¯s food in the kitchen?¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t like the kitchen. It¡¯s always greasy in there. I wanted to wait for you to come back and get me something to eat,¡± Xiaowan replied, tossing a newly bought Herm¨¨s wallet at him. ¡°Hurry up and get me something to eat!¡±

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t even have time to change his shoes before being ordered to fetch dinner. He brought out some reheated spaghetti bolognese, but Xiaowan pouted as she ate. ¡°It¡¯s been sitting too long¡ªit doesn¡¯t taste good. Don¡¯t you have anything better?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t cook,¡± Chen Xin said. ¡°This is all the housekeeper left before leaving. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll order takeout for you.¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get pizza,¡± Xiaowan said excitedly. ¡°Make sure to tell them to add lots and lots of cheese.¡±

    After placing the order, Chen Xin looked at Xiaowan lounging on the carpet, playing games without a care in the world. He had planned to wait until she finished eating to bring up the subject weighing on his mind, but the matter had been gnawing at him all day, making it hard for him to focus at work. He couldn¡¯t stand the feeling of being so affected by someone else, so he finally spoke up. ¡°Xiaowan, I have something to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Ask away,¡± Xiaowan replied without looking up from her screen.

    Chen Xin sighed, crouched down, and pulled the iPad out of her hands. ¡°What I want to ask is serious. Could you be a little more attentive?¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at his expression and stuck out her tongue playfully. ¡°Is it because I spent too much money today? I¡¯m sorry, okay? It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t gone shopping in so long, and I got a little carried away. I usually don¡¯t spend this much¡ªat least not in one day, haha.¡±

    Her words struck at the heart of the topic Chen Xin wanted to discuss. He quickly followed up. ¡°So, you mean you¡¯ve spent tens of thousands on clothes and bags in a single day before, just like today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± Xiaowan stretched lazily on the carpet.Stolen story; please report.

    Chen Xin felt his heart sink further. ¡°When I met you, you were just a street performer who couldn¡¯t even afford a proper winter coat. Where did you get the money for luxury items like these?¡±

    Twirling her hair, Xiaowan replied casually, ¡°You¡¯ve already guessed it, haven¡¯t you? So stop beating around the bush. Men like you are the ones paying for it. That¡¯s right¡ªI¡¯m exactly what you guys call a gold digger.¡±

    Chen Xin felt a chill run through his entire body. ¡°How many times¡­ have you done this?¡±

    Xiaowan counted on her fingers and thought for a moment. ¡°Including you, fourteen times.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t include me!¡± Chen Xin exclaimed, standing up in agitation. ¡°I¡¯m not like the men you¡¯ve conned before!¡±

    Xiaowan propped herself up on her hands and sat upright on the carpet, letting out a faint laugh. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re mad? What exactly are you mad about? Are you mad because I spent too much money, or because I¡¯m not the pure and virtuous girl you men fantasize about?¡±

    Chen Xin snapped, ¡°I¡¯m angry because you don¡¯t value yourself at all! You¡¯re in your early twenties, with all the time and energy in the world. Instead of working hard to earn your own money, you rely on these dishonest means. Have you ever thought about what will happen when you¡¯re old? Do you think there will still be people willing to spend money on you then?¡±

    An hour later, in a suburban wealthy district near N City.

    A Lamborghini sped along the empty road under the night sky. Its elegant design and high-end features made it move as gracefully as a cheetah. But the good times didn¡¯t last. The car suddenly hit something under a streetlight, and the front tire blew out.

    The owner¡ªa tall, freckled young white man with brown hair¡ªgot out, cursing as he inspected the damage. When he found a wire-laced rope lying across the road, he swore loudly, ¡°Damn it! Whoever did this, I¡¯ll break your legs!¡±

    Just then, Xiaowan stepped out of the shadows, speaking slowly. ¡°Break their legs? Andrew, I really doubt you¡¯re capable of that.¡±

    Andrew recognized her instantly. ¡°It¡¯s you again, Lin Xiaowan! What, here to avenge my idiot sister?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Xiaowan said, weighing a wine bottle in her hand. ¡°And don¡¯t call her that in front of me. Only a scumbag beats their own sister.¡±

    Andrew laughed. ¡°So what if I hit her? She¡¯s nothing in my family. I¡¯m the one my parents care about. She¡¯s just a girl¡ªshe doesn¡¯t count. Coming back on Christmas to suck up to them and fight me for the inheritance? Over my dead body! If she shows up again, I¡¯ll kill her. And if you interfere, I¡¯ll beat you too!¡±

    Knowing it was pointless to argue with someone this foolish, Xiaowan smashed the wine bottle against Andrew¡¯s Lamborghini.

    Andrew sneered, ¡°You¡¯re taking me on with just a bottle? You¡¯re asking to die! Don¡¯t you know I box?¡±

    Xiaowan pulled out a lighter from her pocket. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not targeting you. Haven¡¯t you noticed this bottle isn¡¯t filled with wine?¡±

    Andrew froze, then turned toward his car, catching a whiff of strong gasoline.

    His face twisted in realization. ¡°Wait, no¡ª¡±

    But it was too late. Xiaowan flicked the lighter toward the car. The tiny flame ignited the gasoline instantly, and flames engulfed the Lamborghini¡¯s front half.

    Andrew roared at her, ¡°Are you crazy? I waited months for that car!¡±

    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯m glad,¡± Xiaowan said coldly.

    ¡°You b****! Worse than my sister! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Andrew charged toward her with his fists raised.

    But Xiaowan spoke calmly. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be thinking about putting out that fire.¡±

    Andrew hesitated, torn between her and his beloved car, then cursed and ran off to find a fire extinguisher.

    In the glow of the flames, Xiaowan mounted the Harley and said icily to his retreating figure, ¡°And Andrew, if you ever lay a hand on your sister again, I swear next time it won¡¯t just be your car I burn.¡±

    ¡°You b****! Just you wait¡ªI¡¯ll kill you!¡± Andrew shouted from a distance.

    Xiaowan smirked, started the motorcycle, and said under her breath, ¡°I don¡¯t care much for this world, but don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll make sure I die after you.¡±

 10.apologize

    The Next Evening.

    Returning from the hospital, Maggie sat with Pine at the tunnel entrance, counting the money the band had earned that day. Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead.

    Maggie looked up and saw a group of white troublemakers blocking someone¡¯s path, refusing to let them pass. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t interfere¡ªsuch quarrels were common in this area¡ªbut as she took a closer look, she realized it was Chen Xin. She quickly put down the money and ran over, asking the group, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? What are you doing?¡±

    The leader of the young troublemakers, a girl with acne all over her face, pointed at Chen Xin. ¡°Pine told us this guy upset Kitty. I¡¯m just about to teach him a lesson.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as he made it sound. Pine always exaggerates,¡± Maggie said. ¡°He just wants to go home. Let him through.¡±

    The troublemakers exchanged glances before reluctantly stepping aside. Some, however, deliberately bumped their shoulders against Chen Xin as he passed.

    Seeing the matter resolved, Maggie turned to go back to Pine, but Chen Xin followed her. ¡°Thank you for helping me just now. Are you a friend of Xiao Wan?¡±

    Maggie looked back at him and nodded. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I came to find her, but it seems she¡¯s not here. Do you know where she is?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    Maggie paused for a few seconds while counting the money, then asked, ¡°Why do you ask? Didn¡¯t you already drive her out of your house?¡±

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t deny it. Though he hadn¡¯t explicitly driven Xiao Wan out last night, when she left, he hadn¡¯t stopped her out of anger and frustration. He had thought that after a night¡¯s rest, he could bury this absurd encounter and quell the inexplicable feelings he had developed, returning to his peaceful, uneventful life.

    He was wrong. The next morning, when he woke up to find the three dogs lying lonely on the carpet without Xiao Wan¡¯s company, he realized that forgetting her wouldn¡¯t be so simple.

    By evening, after an entire day of inner conflict, he finally decided to face his feelings. Despite Xiao Wan¡¯s carefree and seemingly aimless lifestyle, he found himself unable to ignore her.

    ¡°We had an argument yesterday, and then she left. I deeply regret my actions, so I want to apologize to her,¡± Chen Xin explained.

    Pine suddenly chimed in dryly, ¡°You only feel regret after a whole day? Isn¡¯t there a saying you Chinese have? ¡®The cabbage is already cold.¡¯¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®the daylilies are already cold,¡¯¡± Maggie corrected him with a sigh.

    Chen Xin lowered his head and said softly, ¡°I truly feel sorry. Could you please tell me where she is?¡±

    Maggie stared at Chen Xin¡¯s downcast expression for a long moment before saying, ¡°Before I tell you where she is, Mr. Chen, could you answer a few questions for me?¡±

    Chen Xin raised his head. ¡°Of course. Please ask.¡±

    Maggie pointed to herself and Pine, then gestured to the people around them. ¡°In your eyes, are people like us all just self-indulgent, wasting our long lives by living aimlessly or trying to take shortcuts to get the lives we want?¡±

    Chen Xin opened his mouth slightly but didn¡¯t speak, his silence serving as his answer.

    Maggie smiled bitterly and shook her head. ¡°I understand why you¡¯d think that. You¡­ walk in here in your tailored suit that costs tens of thousands, into this dark and filthy tunnel, looking at us as if we¡¯re rats living in the sewers. Naturally, you can¡¯t understand why we¡¯d choose to live like this.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Of course, there are some here who are hopelessly wasting their lives. But let me tell you, many of us wouldn¡¯t choose this life if we had the chance. If we could, we¡¯d take another path. Our lives may be long, but for us, they¡¯ve stopped offering new opportunities.¡±

    Looking at Maggie¡¯s slightly reddened eyes, Chen Xin softened his tone. ¡°You¡¯re saying you have no choice but to live like this? Why is that?¡±

    Pine shrugged and spoke up. ¡°Take me, for example. When I was five or six, a wealthy couple adopted me from the orphanage and brought me to their beautiful home. I had food, toys¡ªeverything I could want. I thought I was blessed.

    ¡°But later, I learned they only adopted me because they couldn¡¯t have children. Then, when I was eighteen and preparing for college, guess what? The ¡®lucky mom¡¯ suddenly got pregnant. So, they kicked me out of the house, made me sign a document that cut me off from any inheritance, and even used their connections to make sure I couldn¡¯t find work in town or get into my dream college.

    ¡°So, I had no choice but to leave and come here, where I met Maggie, Leng Qing, and Xiao Wan. We play music together. And sometimes, for a moment, life feels a little less cruel.¡±

    ¡°Actually, do you guys know? I never wanted their money. I just wanted to come home every day and have someone I could call Mom and Dad. But they didn¡¯t believe me. And why would they? Why trust someone with no blood ties to them, even if I¡¯d lived with them for over a decade? It couldn¡¯t possibly compare to the magic of DNA, could it?¡±

    At this point, Pine sniffled, picked up the guitar beside him, and started strumming absentmindedly, letting his long hair shield his face.

    Hearing his story left Chen Xin with mixed emotions. Maggie gently patted Pine¡¯s shoulder before turning to Chen Xin. ¡°Second question, Mr. Chen¡ªwhat kind of person do you think Xiaowan is?¡±

    Chen Xin was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°She¡­ told me yesterday that she¡¯s a gold digger.¡±

    Maggie sighed and explained, ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe this, but¡­ Xiaowan has a really bad habit of lying. Whenever she feels hurt or wants to protect herself, she says outrageous things to shield her true self, so no one can see her inner feelings. She may seem flippant about men, but she¡¯s absolutely not a gold digger. Think about it¡ªif she really were one, with her looks and charm, she would¡¯ve made a fortune by now. Would we still be living like this?¡±

    Chen Xin clenched his fists slightly. ¡°Are you saying she lied on purpose?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Maggie nodded. ¡°Xiaowan has dated a few wealthy men before, but that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s a gold digger. If you take a closer look at her heart, you¡¯ll see she¡¯s a truly kind person. You have no idea how many people here she¡¯s helped. That girl with the acne just now? She was badly injured by her alcoholic father, and it was Xiaowan who saved her. And those two rappers in the back? They were about to rob a convenience store out of desperation, but Xiaowan talked them out of it. And as for me¡­ if I hadn¡¯t met Xiaowan, I¡¯d probably have ended my life by now.

    To us, Xiaowan is the best person in the world. She always calls herself a bitch, but we all know she isn¡¯t.

    Having said that, Mr. Chen, I have one last, most important question to ask you.¡±

    Chen Xin nodded, his mood gradually clearing like a sky after a storm. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Do you¡­ like her, even just a little?¡±

    Chen Xin paused for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. ¡°If having her face constantly on my mind and being unable to focus on work means liking her, then yes, I think I do.¡±

    Maggie breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Then please, take a good look at her, see her heart clearly, and make her happy. As her best friend, I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled. ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t you first tell me where she is right now?¡±

    Maggie¡¯s face reddened slightly. ¡°Uh, she went to the supermarket with Lengqing to get us dinner. She should be back soon.¡±

    ¡°The supermarket, huh¡­¡± Chen Xin glanced toward the entrance of the tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for her there. Thank you for telling me all of this.¡±

    After he walked away, Pine sighed heavily and said to Maggie, ¡°Every time a guy falls for Xiaowan, you give them this whole speech. But do you think it makes a difference? In the end, don¡¯t they all leave her anyway?¡±

    ¡°You never know unless you try,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°One day, there will be someone willing to embrace everything about her, flaws and all. Don¡¯t you want Xiaowan to be happy?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Pine said with a sigh. ¡°But I just feel like¡­ she doesn¡¯t want to be happy herself.¡±

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400"> </li>

    </ul>

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t have to wait long at the tunnel entrance before he saw Xiaowan. She was walking alongside the band¡¯s drummer, who was carrying a paper bag filled with food. Occasionally, he¡¯d pull out a snack to tease her with, and she would leap up like a cat to snatch it from his hand.

    When he held it too high for her to reach, Xiaowan would huff in frustration and kick him lightly in the back.

    The drummer, his face stoic, didn¡¯t get angry when she kicked him. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips as he watched her.

    The two playfully bickered their way back to the tunnel entrance. Just as Xiaowan was about to call out for Pine and Maggie to come eat, she spotted Chen Xin waiting at the door.

    She froze for a moment, then quickly put on a cold expression and brushed past him, heading inside.

    Chen Xin hurriedly reached out to stop her and said softly yet earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± Xiaowan asked, glancing at him with disdain.

    ¡°For how I treated you yesterday,¡± Chen Xin replied. ¡°For jumping to conclusions and assuming you were a gold digger. For standing on some moral high ground and judging your life choices¡­ You were right; I don¡¯t understand your life and have no right to criticize or lecture you.¡±

    Chen Xin continued, ¡°Your friends told me a lot about you just now. It really moved me. I sincerely hope¡­ you can forgive me. I promise I won¡¯t judge you with prejudice again.¡±

    Xiaowan crossed her arms and looked at him. ¡°Are you done?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Chen Xin grew nervous as she remained unmoved. ¡°Everything I said was from the heart. I¡­ hope you¡¯ll give me another chance so we can get to know each other properly. Is that okay?¡±

    Xiaowan¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, but her tone remained nonchalant. ¡°Giving you another chance isn¡¯t impossible, but you have to do something for me first.¡±

    ¡°Name it. If I can do it, I¡¯ll definitely do it,¡± Chen Xin said.

    ¡°You said it yourself.¡± Xiaowan¡¯s smile turned mischievous. ¡°Sing me a song¡ª¡®Like a Virgin,¡¯ the one I sang to you before. Come to think of it, it suits you perfectly, doesn¡¯t it, Mr. Virgin?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

 11. Secretly photograph

    ¡°Could you make another request? I¡­ I¡¯m not really good at singing,¡± Chen Xin said anxiously, chasing after Xiao Wan in the tunnel.

    ¡°No way! Weren¡¯t you the one who just swore you¡¯d do anything as long as you could manage it? Now you¡¯re stuck just because I asked you to sing a song?¡± Xiao Wan snorted coldly. ¡°Men like you are all the same. You talk a good game, but the moment you¡¯re asked to prove it, you chicken out.¡±

    ¡°But I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Forget it! Get lost! And don¡¯t ever show up in front of me again, or I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    Before Chen Xin could finish his sentence, Xiao Wan kicked him and sulked in her makeshift nest of old clothes.

    Seeing her puffed-up cheeks and adorable pout, Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. He walked over to Pine and asked, ¡°Can I borrow your guitar for a moment?¡±

    Pine immediately handed it over reverently. ¡°Be my guest.¡±

    Chen Xin took the guitar, exchanged a glance with Margie, and she instantly caught on, preparing to accompany him on the keyboard. Clearing his throat, Chen Xin turned to Xiao Wan and said, ¡°I¡¯m really not familiar with Like a Virgin, but how about I sing a song I do know for you instead?¡±

    Xiao Wan responded with a dismissive snort through her nose.

    Smiling, Chen Xin plucked a string, the crisp sound immediately drawing her attention. Like a curious cat catching a whiff of something enticing, she raised her head slightly.

    As Chen Xin started to play, Margie seamlessly joined in, quickly following the rhythm. It became apparent to everyone that he was about to sing James Blunt¡¯s You¡¯re Beautiful.

    ¡°My life is brilliant. My love is pure. I saw an angel. Of that I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The moment Chen Xin began singing, the noisy atmosphere in the tunnel quieted down. His deep, raspy voice captivated everyone, bringing a seductive quality to the song, unlike the pure melancholy of the original.

    Xiao Wan stood up slowly, drawn to the sound. In his tailored suit, Chen Xin stood in the grimy tunnel under dim lighting, singing tenderly to her. His eyes were full of affection.

    ¡°She smiled at me on the subway. She was with another man. But I won¡¯t lose no sleep on that, ¡®cause I¡¯ve got a plan.¡±

    The surrounding crowd gradually gathered closer. Two Black rappers in the group added depth with beatboxing, while even the gang of thugs who had confronted Chen Xin earlier joined in, sitting cross-legged to listen intently.

    As the song reached its chorus, everyone chimed in softly:

    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. You¡¯re beautiful. You¡¯re beautiful. It¡¯s true.¡±

    Each time Chen Xin sang the word ¡°beautiful,¡± Xiao Wan¡¯s heart raced uncontrollably. She looked at the deep warmth in his eyes and, unable to resist any longer, rushed forward, pushing him against the wall and kissing him passionately.

    Unlike her playful tease of a kiss before, this time, Xiao Wan kissed him fiercely, as if trying to devour him. Chen Xin¡¯s guitar fell to the ground, and he instinctively bent to pick it up, but Xiao Wan grabbed his hair and wouldn¡¯t let go.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Finally, the man surrendered, tentatively responding to her kiss with shy awkwardness.

    Xiao Wan¡¯s excitement grew. Immature fruit might be a bit tart, but somehow it tasted better.

    Under the teasing cheers of the crowd, they kissed for a long time before Chen Xin gently pushed her away. His handsome face was now a deep shade of red, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet her gaze. Instead, he bashfully looked to the side.

    Xiao Wan chuckled, pinched his cheek, and licked her lips. ¡°Your kissing skills suck! But your singing voice isn¡¯t bad, so fine, I¡¯ll reluctantly forgive you.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Xiao Wan nodded, extending a hand toward him like a queen granting an audience to her subject. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to take me home. Oh, and I want pizza!¡±

    Chen Xin held her soft hand. ¡°Alright.¡±

    After bidding farewell to the rest of the band, Xiao Wan linked her arm with Chen Xin¡¯s, bouncing cheerfully as they walked toward the tunnel¡¯s exit. After a few steps, she suddenly said, ¡°Oh, almost forgot. Little Chen, there¡¯s one more thing I need your help with.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ accidentally set fire to a Lamborghini. The owner¡¯s probably going to cause trouble for me. Can you deal with it?¡±

    ¡°¡­You accidentally did what?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°¡­So, that¡¯s how it happened. I didn¡¯t mean to! Besides, that guy Andrew is total scum. Honestly, setting his car on fire is letting him off easy,¡± Xiao Wan explained twenty minutes later.

    Back in Chen Xin¡¯s villa, she curled up on the couch, pitifully looking up at the man sitting beside her. ¡°That guy constantly abuses Margie. Do you know how many times she¡¯s had broken bones or how many scars she has because of him? And that¡¯s his own sister! Scum like that deserves punishment, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re wrong. I just think you could¡¯ve handled it in a¡­ more civilized way.¡± Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Sure, it might¡¯ve been satisfying, but you¡¯re still a girl. What if he had chosen to attack you instead of saving his car? What would you have done then?¡±

    ¡°I was so angry at the time, I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± Xiao Wan lay on his lap, playing with his slender fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future. Please help me out this time, okay?¡±

    Chen Xin thought for a moment before nodding reluctantly. ¡°Alright. But you have to promise me not to act so recklessly again. If you keep this up, something bad will happen.¡±

    ¡°Got it, got it.¡± Xiao Wan propped herself up on his thigh, her breath brushing against his cheek. In a soft voice, she teased, ¡°You care about me so much. Could it be that you¡¯ve fallen head over heels for me?¡±

    Chen Xin turned his head away. ¡°No.¡±

    Half an hour later, Xiao Wan chased after him, tugging on his shirt. ¡°Please, just say yes!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m really good at it. I promise it¡¯ll be unforgettable!¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Chen Xiao-Guai, why are you so stingy?!¡±

    Chen Xin was practically fuming, his face flushed with frustration. He turned to face her and said, ¡°This has nothing to do with being stingy! I¡¯m trying to be responsible, don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Xiao Wan threw up her hands. ¡°Who asked you to be responsible? I¡¯m the one who wants to sleep with you! If I don¡¯t expect you to take responsibility afterward, then what¡¯s the problem?¡±

    Rubbing his temples, Chen Xin felt utterly defeated. ¡°Let me explain it this way: I only want to do that with someone I¡¯m in love with.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I like you!¡± Xiao Wan declared without hesitation. ¡°Why else would I come live with you?¡±

    Chen Xin sighed deeply. ¡°The way you like me is probably the same way you like my dogs.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re all so adorable!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Chen Xin couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He grabbed her face, both annoyed and amused. ¡°I¡¯m talking about romantic love! Lin Xiao Wan, until you¡¯re truly in love with me, don¡¯t even think about it. Goodnight!¡±

    With that, he turned and walked into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

    Xiao Wan puffed out her cheeks angrily and kicked the door. ¡°You stingy jerk!¡±

    Inside the room, Chen Xin sighed. He decided to take a shower to cool off. But as soon as he washed his hair, the hot water ran out, and ice-cold water sprayed down on him.

    Trying to adjust the controls, he realized the buttons weren¡¯t working¡ªprobably due to a power outage. Sighing again, he stepped out of the bathroom, still dripping wet, intending to check the circuit box downstairs.

    Just as he was about to grab a towel, Xiao Wan, who had been hiding by the bed, suddenly whipped out her phone.

    Click!

    The flash lit up the room, capturing Chen Xin¡¯s naked figure in all its glory.

    Chen Xin froze, realizing too late what had just happened. Snatching up a nearby robe to cover himself, he roared, ¡°Lin Xiao Wan! What are you doing?!¡±

    Giggling, Xiao Wan darted out of the room, phone in hand. ¡°You won¡¯t let me sleep with you? Fine, then I¡¯ll post your nudes on Instagram and make you a viral sensation! Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Get back here!¡± Chen Xin shouted, chasing after her.

 12.Quarrel

    The next morning, at the dining table.

    Xiaowan picked the cereal out of her bowl and arranged it on the table to form the characters ¡°Chen Xin.¡± She then poked the man sitting beside her and said with a playful smile, ¡°Look, look! Even when I eat, it¡¯s in the shape of my love for you!¡±

    Chen Xin remained cold-faced, unmoved.

    Well, anyone would be upset if they had been secretly photographed in the nude the night before and threatened with the possibility of having the photo posted on Instagram.

    Xiaowan waited for a couple of seconds. Seeing that Chen Xin¡¯s expression showed no signs of softening, she leaned closer and tugged at his shirt sleeve, saying coquettishly, ¡°Oh, come on! You¡¯re a grown man¡ªdon¡¯t be so petty! Alright, alright, I¡¯ll compromise. If I do post it on Instagram, I¡¯ll at least pixelate your important parts. But honestly, it would be such a waste to cover something so magnificent¡­¡±

    ¡°Lin! Xiao! Wan!¡± Chen Xin slammed the table in anger. ¡°Are you trying to drive me crazy?¡±

    Xiaowan blinked innocently. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m complimenting you! Don¡¯t all men like to boast about their size?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Chen Xin nearly choked on his words. He reached out his hand. ¡°Give me your phone. Delete the photo!¡±

    Xiaowan quickly tucked her phone into her chest and batted her eyes at him. ¡°Sure, come and take it yourself.¡±

    Chen Xin took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then turned to leave. Sensing that she might have gone too far, Xiaowan rushed to hug his waist and said sweetly, ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m just teasing you. I like you so much; how could I possibly post your photo online? I don¡¯t want other women fighting over you.¡±

    Chen Xin turned his head to look at her. ¡°You really won¡¯t post it?¡±

    Xiaowan nodded emphatically. ¡°I swear! I¡¯ll never show it to anyone. Please don¡¯t be mad anymore, okay?¡±

    Chen Xin hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Even keeping it to yourself is not okay. You should delete it.¡±

    ¡°No way! You won¡¯t let me sleep with you, so at least let me keep the photo for some¡­ DIY use at night,¡± Xiaowan pouted.

    Chen Xin¡¯s handsome face flushed deep red. What on earth did she mean by that?

    ¡°You¡­ you have no shame!¡±

    Xiaowan tilted her head, confused. ¡°The first time I kissed you, you should¡¯ve realized this is just who I am.¡±

    Chen Xin was at a loss for words. Xiaowan giggled, stood on her tiptoes, and planted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Now, no more anger, okay? Come on, eat your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already full from being so exasperated,¡± Chen Xin sighed. ¡°I¡¯m heading to work now. Entertain yourself here.¡±

    Xiaowan grabbed his hand. ¡°Can you take me to your office? It¡¯s so boring here with no one but the three dogs.¡±

    Chen Xin frowned. ¡°Everyone at the office is busy. There¡¯s nothing fun to do there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Take me with you! You said you liked me, yet you won¡¯t even take me to your office,¡± Xiaowan said, feigning an aggrieved tone.

    Chen Xin relented with a sigh. ¡°Fine, but promise me you won¡¯t cause any trouble, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay! Wait here while I go change,¡± Xiaowan said cheerfully, darting upstairs. Chen Xin leaned against the door, waiting.

    Moments later, Xiaowan descended the stairs, looking ethereal in a cream-colored long dress paired with a light blue jacket. Her makeup was subtle, and her wavy black hair cascaded over her shoulders. She carried a small black Chanel 2.55 bag and wore nude Christian Louboutin heels. The winter sunlight streamed through the side window, casting a golden glow over her.

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized.

    Xiaowan stopped in front of him, playfully twirling her hair. ¡°I bet you like how I look right now, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded involuntarily. ¡°Yeah, you look beautiful.¡±

    He kept some thoughts to himself: She looked so stunning that he almost didn¡¯t want to take her out. If only such beauty could belong to him alone¡­

    But Xiaowan¡¯s elegant facade quickly crumbled. She rolled her eyes and said, ¡°This outfit cost you fifty grand, so of course it¡¯s beautiful! Now, let¡¯s go, silly!¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    When they arrived at the office, Xiaowan immediately dragged Chen Xin to the front desk. She pointed at him and asked the receptionist, ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±

    Before the receptionist could respond, Xiaowan announced smugly, ¡°This is my man! So stop having designs on him¡ªyou have no chance.¡±

    With that, she hooked her arm around Chen Xin¡¯s and marched into the elevator.

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Was that really necessary? I¡¯ve already talked to her. She admitted her attitude toward you that day was wrong and said she¡¯d be more careful in the future.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m a vindictive woman¡ªis that so wrong?¡± Xiaowan said arrogantly, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. ¡°You¡¯re mine, and I want the whole world to know.¡±

    Looking at her stubborn yet proud face, Chen Xin felt a strange warmth from her possessiveness.

    When the elevator doors opened, Xiaowan boldly held onto Chen Xin¡¯s arm as they walked through the office. She waved cheerfully at the employees who shot her curious or bewildered looks.

    ¡°This is my office,¡± Chen Xin said as he opened the door. ¡°Everyone else is busy outside, so just stay in here and amuse yourself. I have a client meeting in the conference room next door and won¡¯t be back for about an hour.¡±

    ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Xiao Wan widened her eyes. ¡°I came to the office to spend time with you, but now you¡¯re off to meet clients? What am I supposed to do?¡±

    Chen Xin tried to calm her down, saying, ¡°Can you be good and wait for a little while? There¡¯s a computer here. You can play some games or do something to pass the time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to play on the computer. I want to play with you!¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he gently patted her hair. ¡°Okay, stop messing around. These clients are very important for the company. I really need to close these deals. Can you hold on for just a little while?¡±

    Xiao Wan pouted reluctantly. ¡°Fine¡­ but you only get one hour! If you¡¯re not back in an hour, I¡¯ll eat your koi fish! Every minute you¡¯re late, I¡¯ll eat one!¡±

    Chen Xin glanced at the plump koi swimming in the tank on his desk and chuckled. ¡°You sure about that? Eating koi might take away your good luck.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I¡¯m a cat, remember? I¡¯ve already decided to start with the fattest one!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure to be back on time.¡±

    After some coaxing, Chen Xin finally managed to pacify Xiao Wan. He grabbed his documents and headed to the meeting room, while Xiao Wan lay on his desk, bored, staring at the koi fish.

    She tapped the glass tank with her fingernail and spoke to the plump red koi, ¡°Your owner better be back on time, or you¡¯re getting red-braised!¡±

    The chubby koi wagged its tail innocently.

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, employees were huddled together, gossiping about the girl who had come in with their boss.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the girl we saw in the parking lot that day?¡±

    ¡°She looks familiar. I remember thinking, with her looks, how could she be a gold digger? But now, she¡¯s all dolled up and stunning.¡±

    ¡°The boss was so down yesterday. I thought he dumped her, but it turns out she stormed into the office today! She¡¯s got skills!¡±

    ¡°So, should we warn the boss or something?¡±

    After much deliberation, the team unanimously decided to send Harold, the product manager, who had the best rapport with Chen Xin, to check things out.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the best relationship with the boss. Go and see what her deal is. We can¡¯t just stand by and watch her ruin our innocent and sweet boss, right?¡±

    As a seasoned man who had seen his share of heartbreak, Harold understood all too well how na?ve men could be destroyed by scheming women. After some thought, he nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go have a chat with her.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Harold knocked on the door of Chen Xin¡¯s office.

    Xiao Wan was playing with the koi when she heard the knock. She glanced up and said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Harold walked in with a polite smile. ¡°Hey there. I¡¯m Harold, Chen Xin¡¯s product manager and close friend. Nice to meet you.¡±

    Xiao Wan smiled back. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Lin Xiao Wan. I¡¯m currently living at your boss¡¯s house.¡±

    Harold¡¯s expression stiffened slightly, but he sat down across from her and probed, ¡°So¡­ are you his girlfriend?¡±

    Xiao Wan sighed. ¡°Not yet. I haven¡¯t slept with him.¡±

    Harold almost choked on his own saliva. After coughing violently, he managed to stammer, ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s¡­ quite an answer. Would you mind telling me how you two met?¡±

    Xiao Wan kept playing with the koi as she casually replied, ¡°Well, I used to live in a tunnel. He felt sorry for me, so he gave me a credit card to use and a place to stay.¡±

    Her nonchalant tone made Harold¡¯s blood boil. This wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d done something like this, was it? Recalling his own painful experiences, he spoke coldly. ¡°He gave you his card, and you spent over 700,000 yuan in half an hour? That¡¯s not something any normal girl would do, is it?¡±

    Xiao Wan stopped what she was doing and stared at him with icy eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase, Mr. Harold. What do you really want to say?¡±

    Harold took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be frank. I hope that once you¡¯ve gotten what you want, you¡¯ll leave Chen Xin quietly without hurting him. Maybe it¡¯s not my place as his subordinate to say this, but I¡¯ve known him for years. He¡¯s like a little brother to me. He¡¯s never been in a relationship before, and he has a romantic and na?ve view of love. A man like him meeting a woman like you is a recipe for disaster.¡±

    ¡°Disaster?¡± Xiao Wan sneered, her gaze sharp. ¡°You¡¯re calling me a disaster?¡±

    ¡°Of course. What else would you be?¡± Harold said with contempt. ¡°Girls like you only care about money. You¡¯re willing to abandon your long-term boyfriends, your dignity, and anything else you can throw away for money. No offense, miss, but someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve Chen Xin. You¡¯re just shiny trash.¡±

    Xiao Wan narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to peer into Harold¡¯s soul. Harold felt a chill under her piercing gaze and was about to look away when she said slowly, ¡°Mr. Harold, you describe us gold diggers so vividly. Were you, by any chance, dumped by one before?¡±

    Harold froze.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Xiao Wan continued with a mocking smile. ¡°You were in college, dating the love of your life. But you were both from modest backgrounds and couldn¡¯t afford the student loans. Then she found herself a rich old man, became his mistress, and lived a life of luxury while leaving you behind. You were heartbroken, struggling with financial woes and ridicule from others. Ever since then, you¡¯ve hated gold diggers so much you want to tear them apart. Am I right, Mr. Harold?¡±

    Harold couldn¡¯t utter a word. How could this seemingly frivolous woman so accurately unearth the pain he¡¯d buried deep inside?

    Xiao Wan chuckled coldly. ¡°Yes, I am the gold digger you all think I am. But I¡¯m not just a pretty face, Harold. I¡¯m also very good at reading people. Now I understand why everyone looked at me so strangely today¡ªit¡¯s because you¡¯ve already warned them about me, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! It¡¯s your behavior that made everyone dislike you!¡± Harold finally found his voice.

    Xiao Wan wagged her finger. ¡°Let¡¯s talk more about you, Harold. I think you¡¯re not just angry about being dumped. Deep down, you¡¯re probably resentful that you weren¡¯t born a woman, that you don¡¯t have a pretty face to seduce a rich sugar daddy to pay off your loans. That¡¯s why you hate gold diggers so much.¡±

    Harold shot to his feet in fury. ¡°How dare you say that!¡±

    Xiao Wan stood up too, her voice rising. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? You came in here accusing me of being trash and a gold digger. Why shouldn¡¯t I fight back? You just told me to leave Chen Xin after I¡¯ve taken what I want, right? Fine! Let me tell you this: my greed knows no bounds. I won¡¯t stop until he¡¯s bankrupt! Want me to show you how it¡¯s done?¡±

    With that, she stormed out, shedding her coat, tearing the hem of her dress into a mini-skirt, and unbuttoning the top of her blouse. Then, with one swift kick, she burst into the meeting room.

    Under the stunned gazes of everyone inside, Xiao Wan threw herself into Chen Xin¡¯s arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and cooed, ¡°Sugar daddy! I¡¯ve got my eye on a Ferrari. Give me your wallet, won¡¯t you?¡±

 13.Bosom friend

    The room fell silent, and everyone was left in a stunned daze, staring at the girl in a miniskirt who had burst in and clung to Chen Xin.

    Chen Xin froze for a moment before regaining his composure. He quickly stood up and addressed the others, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I need to step out for a moment.¡± Then, he hurriedly pulled Lin Xiaowan out of the room, closing the door behind them.

    ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you promise me you wouldn¡¯t make a scene?¡± Chen Xin whispered urgently. ¡°And what happened to your skirt? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan casually rested one hand on his shoulder, playing with her nails with the other. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss either, but your subordinate, Mr. Harold, decided I was a gold digger and gave me a lecture. Since he already labeled me as such, I figured I should act the part properly. Otherwise, how would I live up to being called ¡®trash¡¯?¡±

    Chen Xin frowned. ¡°He really said that to you?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan rolled her eyes impatiently. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like arguing with you. Where¡¯s your wallet? Hand it over¡ªI want to buy a car!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed and took out his wallet. Just as he was about to hand her a card, Lin Xiaowan snatched the entire wallet, waved at him, and said, ¡°See you tonight.¡±

    ¡°Wait a second!¡± Chen Xin grabbed her wrist, and Lin Xiaowan immediately clutched the wallet defensively, shouting, ¡°You stingy trust-fund kid, what do you want? The wallet is mine now that I¡¯ve got it!¡±

    Chen Xin, exasperated, glanced at her, then took off his jacket and tied it around her waist. ¡°I can¡¯t leave right now. Buy yourself a thicker skirt and change out of this one. Don¡¯t catch a cold, okay?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan pouted. ¡°Fine, fine, I got it. See you.¡±

    As she turned to leave, she ran into Harold, who had just come after her. Lin Xiaowan immediately brought the wallet to her nose, exaggeratedly sniffed it, and loudly declared, ¡°Ah, the smell of easy money is the best!¡±

    Harold froze in place. ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Lin Xiaowan flipped him off without looking back and walked away.

    Harold sighed deeply and turned back to Chen Xin. Just as he was about to explain, Chen Xin, with a cold expression, said, ¡°I¡¯m busy right now. Let¡¯s talk after the meeting.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

    An hour later, Chen Xin returned to his office after the meeting to find Harold already waiting. As soon as Chen Xin walked in, Harold began, ¡°Bro, I know I overstepped by talking to Miss Lin today. It wasn¡¯t appropriate, but please believe me¡ªI was only trying to help.¡±

    Chen Xin took a deep breath, sat down in his chair, and said, ¡°I believe you meant well, Harold, but I¡¯ve told you before¡ªI don¡¯t need your guidance on this matter.¡±

    Harold sighed. ¡°I understand, but I just can¡¯t stand by and watch my good friend make the same mistake I did. You¡¯ve probably heard from others¡ªI was scammed by a gold digger when I was in college. To satisfy her material desires, I borrowed money left and right. But what did she do? She left me as soon as she found a rich man! It was a devastating experience for me. If it weren¡¯t for my wife, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have ever believed in love again. So I just wanted to warn you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, Harold. But first of all, Xiaowan isn¡¯t the kind of person you¡¯re describing. Secondly, you shouldn¡¯t call her trash without knowing her.¡±

    ¡°I know my words were harsh, but this girl spent over 700,000 yuan of yours in a single day and just walked off with your wallet. Doesn¡¯t that scream ¡®gold digger¡¯ to you?¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Chen Xin stared at him coldly. ¡°I have my own standards of judgment. I appreciate your concern, but I want to remind you that while I haven¡¯t been in a relationship before, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Harold looked at Chen Xin, whose expression clearly said, This conversation is over. Reluctantly, Harold nodded and stood up. ¡°Alright, I overstepped today. Please apologize to Miss Lin for me. I got carried away and shouldn¡¯t have said what I did.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    After Harold left, Chen Xin turned to the fish tank on his desk. The plump red koi swam leisurely, its round belly swaying as it moved. Chen Xin chuckled softly, then sighed. He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Lin Xiaowan: ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan quickly replied: ¡°Listening to little Chen¡¯s advice and buying a new skirt. Do you think it looks good?¡±

    She attached a selfie. In the photo, Lin Xiaowan was in a fitting room wearing a leopard-print, tight-fitting V-neck dress that highlighted her ample curves in a tantalizing way.

    Chen Xin responded helplessly, ¡°I told you to buy a thicker skirt, not one with even less fabric than the last.¡±

    Lin Xiaowan: ¡°I want this one! I¡¯ll wear it while driving the Ferrari to attract some hot guys. Bye!¡±

    Chen Xin was gradually beginning to understand what Maggie meant when she said, ¡°Xiao Wan likes to lie.¡± Perhaps it was because she felt mocked and attacked by Harold, so she was using this twisted way to protect herself.

    It was as if she chose to hurt herself first before anyone else could, so she could get used to the pain.

    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but reply, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Don¡¯t be upset. I already talked to Harold. What happened today was his fault. I promise I won¡¯t let him talk about you like that again. How about I buy you pizza tonight?¡±

    Xiao Wan replied, ¡°Cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese!¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled lightly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get lots and lots of cheese.¡±

    Xiao Wan sent him another selfie¡ªa photo of her pouting her lips and blowing a kiss toward the camera.

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but touch her face on the screen, then set the photo as his phone¡¯s wallpaper.

    That noon, at the VIP lounge of N City Airport.

    A tall man with long legs, dressed in casual denim, walked out of the terminal with a curvy woman dressed in a sexy outfit by his side. As they reached the exit, the man took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes, and dismissed the woman.

    ¡°Go. I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±

    The woman looked at him reluctantly. ¡°Mr. Gu, didn¡¯t we have a great time together? Can¡¯t you spend a little more time with me?¡±

    Ye Chen looked at her impatiently. ¡°Tch, you¡¯ve been in this circle for so long, and you still don¡¯t know me? I hate women dragging things out when I¡¯m breaking it off. If you keep clinging to me, I¡¯ll make sure no man in N City¡¯s rich second-generation circle will ever date you again.¡±

    The woman could only pull her luggage¡ªa suitcase filled with the spoils of her gold-digging¡ªaway quickly.

    Feeling unburdened, Ye Chen walked out of the airport hall, eager to light a cigarette. He took a deep drag, finally relieved after the smoke-free hours on the plane.

    As he blew out a smoke ring, a familiar voice called out beside him, ¡°Hey, Gu! Long time no see!¡±

    Ye Chen turned his head, showing a delighted expression, and gave the man a friendly hug. ¡°Harold! Why are you here? Where¡¯s my buddy Chen Xin?¡±

    Harold smiled. ¡°Things at the company are hectic. He couldn¡¯t get away, so he asked me to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°Damn, that guy¡¯s giving me less and less face. He¡¯d better treat us to dinner tonight. Watch how I bleed him dry.¡± Ye Chen said this with a grin.

    Harold laughed as he opened the door of the Bentley nearby. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to meet him at the office.¡±

    On the way, Harold, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, ¡°Did you finish dealing with the L City branch¡¯s issues?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the HR there hired a bunch of idiots in accounting, and they turned the finances into a mess,¡± Ye Chen said, running a hand through his freshly cut hair with a frown. ¡°Took me three months to sort it out and explain everything to the shareholders. Nearly worked me to death.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why it has to be someone capable like you to handle it,¡± Harold praised. ¡°What¡¯s that saying in Chinese? ¡®The capable bear the burden,¡¯ right?¡±

    Ye Chen laughed heartily. ¡°You¡¯re getting better at talking, huh? Chen Xin hasn¡¯t given you a promotion yet?¡±

    Harold sighed. ¡°Promotion? He gave me a dressing-down this morning.¡±

    ¡°What? Why? Tell me about it,¡± Ye Chen asked curiously, leaning closer. ¡°He¡¯s got such a good temper¡ªI rarely see him lose it.¡±

    Harold glanced at Ye Chen, hesitated for a moment, and then cautiously asked, ¡°You¡¯re Chen¡¯s best friend, so before I tell you what happened this morning, I need to ask¡ªdo you know that Chen is¡­ sort of in a relationship recently?¡±

    Ye Chen froze for a second before shouting, ¡°Are you kidding me? With who? That Lorraine I introduced to him? But he told me he dumped her!¡±

    Harold explained, ¡°Not Lorraine. The whole thing started that afternoon when we saw him escorting a girl to her car in the parking lot¡­¡±

    On the way to Chen Xin¡¯s office, Harold recounted everything he knew about Lin Xiaowan to Ye Chen.

    When he finished, Ye Chen blew out a smoke ring and sneered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this exactly a gold digger? Has Chen Xin lost his mind? And he¡¯s even arguing with you to defend her?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve tried everything to make him see the truth, but it seems he¡¯s completely smitten. He won¡¯t listen to anything,¡± Harold said helplessly. ¡°He even scolded me again this morning. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end, so I thought of asking for your help. You¡¯re his best friend¡ªyou can¡¯t just sit by and watch him be deceived by that woman, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ye Chen replied, puffing on his cigarette. His tone was mocking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve dealt with women like this dozens of times. I know exactly how to handle them. But¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    Ye Chen frowned, pondering. ¡°Lin Xiaowan¡­ Tch, why does that name sound so damn familiar?¡±

 14.Be extremely clever

    When Ye Chen pushed open the door to Chen Xin¡¯s office, the latter was sitting at his desk, feeding the plump koi fish in the tank.

    Ye Chen immediately exploded with anger. He walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down, cigarette in mouth. ¡°Chen Xin, you¡¯ve got some nerve! So this is what you mean by being too busy at work to pick up your good buddy at the airport? Turns out these stupid fish are more important than the guy who¡¯s been your bro since childhood!¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled and explained, ¡°I really just freed up a bit. I finished a video meeting five minutes ago. I¡¯ve been working non-stop since morning, and I haven¡¯t even had lunch yet. And it¡¯s not over¡ªI have a call with the CEO from our head office later.¡±

    Ye Chen snorted. ¡°Fine, whatever. I¡¯ll let it go. I know you¡¯re a workaholic anyway.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for understanding,¡± Chen Xin replied. ¡°Are things wrapped up at your L City branch? Will you need to go back?¡±

    Ye Chen shook his head. ¡°Probably not. My sister¡¯s handling things over there now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news. We¡¯ll finally get to hang out more.¡± Chen Xin smiled. ¡°When I was back in China, you and the other guys were all in the U.S. It was always hard to get together.¡±

    ¡°True. So how long are you planning to stay here this time?¡± Ye Chen finished his cigarette and looked for an ashtray, but since Chen Xin didn¡¯t smoke, there wasn¡¯t one. He moved to flick the ash into the fish tank, only for Chen Xin to stop him immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare mess with my fish!¡±

    Ye Chen rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just a few fish, man. If they die, I¡¯ll buy you new ones.¡±

    ¡°No way. Someone really likes these fish.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re keeping them for someone else?¡± Ye Chen narrowed his eyes, as if catching on to something. ¡°Are you keeping them for that girl you picked up off the street?¡±

    Chen Xin dodged the question and instead said, ¡°To answer your earlier question, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be here. It depends on the company. If they don¡¯t need me, I¡¯ll head back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject! Spill it¡ªwhat¡¯s the deal with that gold digger!¡± Ye Chen slammed his hand on the desk.

    Chen Xin¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°Looks like Harold told you about her on the way here.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Ye Chen snapped. ¡°Man, you¡¯re unbelievable, Chen Xin. Of all the women out there, you had to go for a gold digger? If you wanted to mess around, you could¡¯ve just told me¡ªI¡¯ve got tons of connections! The one you picked, though? She¡¯s clearly a pro at this, practically a master. Do you really think you can handle her? Just give her some money and send her packing. I¡¯ll find you someone better.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s face remained impassive. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Harold told you, but please trust me¡ªhis opinion of Xiao Wan is very one-sided. She¡¯s not that kind of person. Ye Chen, I know what I¡¯m doing. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine! I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Just bring her out and let me meet her, okay?¡± Ye Chen lit another cigarette. ¡°You know I have a good eye for women. If I think she¡¯s fine, I won¡¯t say another word¡ªeven if you want to spend seventy million on her.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Wan isn¡¯t an object. She¡¯s the girl I like, and she doesn¡¯t need your judgment.¡± Chen Xin said firmly. ¡°Ye Chen, we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Do you really want to start a fight the moment we meet?¡±

    Looking at his friend¡¯s resolute expression, Ye Chen sighed. Harold had been right¡ªChen Xin was head over heels for this girl. With no other choice, he dropped the subject for now. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s talk about something else. You free tonight? It¡¯s been ages since the gang got together; let¡¯s have dinner.¡±

    Chen Xin hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tonight. Tomorrow night¡ªI¡¯ll treat.¡±

    Ye Chen was furious. ¡°Damn it! That¡¯s low, Chen Xin. I just got off the plane and came straight here to see you, thinking we could have dinner, and now you¡¯re telling me no? Do you even consider me a friend anymore?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Chen Xin said with a wry smile. ¡°But I already promised Xiao Wan I¡¯d have dinner with her tonight, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable! You¡¯re ditching your friends for a girl! This is textbook betrayal!¡± Ye Chen accused angrily.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Chen Xin laughed helplessly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you used to blow us off all the time when you were playing around with your girls? Did I ever complain about it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different! Those were just flings to kill time. You, on the other hand, are clearly under some kind of spell from this Lin Xiao Wan!¡±

    Chen Xin glanced at the time and waved dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m not listening to your nonsense. The head office is about to call.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see how it is!¡± Ye Chen stood up, pointing at him. ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out now, huh? Fine! Just you wait. Tomorrow night, I¡¯ll make sure you pay big time!¡±

    With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

    Outside, Harold immediately approached. ¡°How¡¯d it go? Did he listen to you?¡±

    ¡°Listen? Not a chance! That idiot¡¯s been single for so long his brain¡¯s gone soft!¡± Ye Chen cursed. ¡°¡°Leaving already? Where are you heading to?¡±

    ¡°Since Chen Xin doesn¡¯t treat me as a brother, I¡¯ll go find someone who does!¡±

    After leaving Chen Xin¡¯s company, Ye Chen called his driver to bring his car over and headed to a popular nightclub in N City.

    It was still afternoon, and the club hadn¡¯t opened yet. Despite that, people eager to secure good spots had already lined up outside.

    Two burly Black bouncers stood expressionless at the entrance. Once the club opened, they would start handpicking attractive men and women from the long line to let them in.

    Ye Chen stepped out of the car, cigarette in his mouth, and walked up to one of the bouncers. ¡°Is your boss here?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Gu.¡± The bouncer nodded respectfully and opened a side gate for him. ¡°Yes, he is. Please, go ahead.¡±

    Ye Chen nodded back, slipped a couple of $100 bills into the hands of both bouncers, and walked straight in.

    The nightclub belonged to a friend he had made during his time in the U.S. Ye Chen had often visited when he lived there. Familiar with the place, he made his way to the boss¡¯s office. Just as he was about to knock, he heard an argument inside.

    A middle-aged man¡¯s urgent voice said, ¡°Nathan, I know how you feel about her, and I get that you want to protect her. But think about it¡ªhow many times have you cleaned up after her? She¡¯s not improving; she¡¯s getting worse! Today, she burns someone¡¯s car. What¡¯s next¡ªmurder? Would you clean up for her then, too?¡±

    Nathan¡¯s gruff voice retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you¡ªshe only did it to protect her friend! She¡¯s not some psycho, and she¡¯s definitely not capable of murder!¡±

    The middle-aged man sighed. ¡°Nathan, I¡¯ve been your family¡¯s attorney for years. I¡¯ve practically watched you grow up. Your father has always had high hopes for you, and I¡¯m certain he wouldn¡¯t want you to ruin your life over a woman like her. I¡¯m begging you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Nathan interrupted, voice stern. ¡°You said it yourself¡ªyou¡¯re my family¡¯s attorney. I pay you to handle things for me, not lecture me! If you can¡¯t handle this, I can find someone else. My father values me enough that switching attorneys won¡¯t be an issue. Do you understand?¡±

    A long silence followed before the middle-aged man finally replied, ¡°Fine, I understand. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    Ye Chen was startled. He hesitated, thinking about stepping aside, but the door suddenly opened, and he came face to face with the lawyer, as well as Nathan, who still looked angry.

    Scratching his nose awkwardly, Ye Chen stepped into the office. ¡°Sorry about that, man. Didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop.¡±

    Seeing his friend, Nathan Brown¡ªa tall, muscular man with cropped brown-black hair, piercing blue eyes, and features as striking as a marble statue¡ªforced a smile and set his anger aside.

    The two hugged briefly before Nathan said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Long time no see, Gu.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m finally back,¡± Ye Chen replied with a grin. ¡°Got time tonight? Let¡¯s round up some pretty ladies and party like old times¡ªgo wild all night, just like we used to!¡±

    To his surprise, Nathan didn¡¯t laugh and agree like he usually did. Instead, he slumped into the chair behind his desk and rubbed his temples. ¡°Sorry, Gu, I can¡¯t these days. My dad just opened a new restaurant branch, and he¡¯s put me in charge. I¡¯ve been swamped. But how about this¡ªI¡¯ll cover everything tonight. I¡¯ll call the best girls for you. Just have fun without me, okay?¡±

    Ye Chen felt like he should¡¯ve checked his horoscope before leaving home. What was going on today? First Chen Xin, now Nathan¡ªneither of them wanted to hang out?

    ¡°This isn¡¯t like you, man,¡± Ye Chen said, puzzled. ¡°I remember when I first met you. No matter how busy you were, you¡¯d drop everything if there were pretty girls involved! Remember that time we rented a yacht and partied with ten girls for five days straight? That was legendary! Don¡¯t you want to cut loose?¡±

    Nathan forced a chuckle, though a hint of exhaustion flickered in his eyes. ¡°Yeah, those were the days¡­ But I¡¯m really too busy now. Sorry.¡±

    Just as Nathan massaged his temples again, Ye Chen noticed something on his friend¡¯s hand. His eyes widened.

    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Nathan froze. ¡°What?¡±

    Ye Chen pointed at the plain ring on Nathan¡¯s middle finger, as if he¡¯d seen a ghost. ¡°What¡¯s with that ring? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re engaged! Damn it, weren¡¯t you the one who swore you¡¯d never settle down? I haven¡¯t seen you in, what, four or five months, and you¡¯re already¡ªwhat the hell happened to you, man?¡±

    Nathan glanced at the ring, sighed, and took it off. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just wearing it for fun.¡±

    Ye Chen knew how seriously these Westerners took the symbolic meaning of rings, so he didn¡¯t believe Nathan¡¯s casual explanation. But since Nathan clearly didn¡¯t want to talk about it, he decided not to push further.

    ¡°Fine, whatever. But it¡¯s no fun without you. Call me when you¡¯re ready to party like old times.¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Nathan said, walking him out. After Ye Chen left, Nathan took the ring from his pocket again, gazed at it tenderly for a moment, and slipped it back onto his finger.

    By evening, Chen Xin had just wrapped up work when Lin Xiaowan called, pouting over the phone, ¡°Chen Little Cutie, I¡¯m starving! Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡±

    ¡°Just finished,¡± Chen Xin replied, rushing into the elevator. ¡°Wait for me at home; I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually outside your office!¡± she giggled.

    Chen Xin froze. When the elevator doors opened in the lobby, he looked around for her. A cheerful voice called out from outside the glass doors, ¡°Hey! Sweet Sugar Daddy! Over here!¡±

    He looked up to see Lin Xiaowan standing on top of a brand-new blue Ferrari, dressed in her signature leopard-print dress, waving excitedly.

    Chen Xin hurried out and scolded, ¡°What are you doing? Get down from there! And stop calling me that!¡±

    She pouted, ¡°But I like calling you that! Sugar Daddy! Sugar Daddy! Sugar Daddy! I¡¯m jumping now¡ªcatch me!¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±

    Before he could stop her, she leaped into his arms. Startled, he instinctively caught her. She wrapped her long legs around his waist and whispered playfully in his ear, ¡°Hey, what do you think about me helping you lose your virginity like this?¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You better behave, or I¡¯ll throw you into the middle of the road!¡±I¡¯m leaving!¡±

 15.To see each other

    ¡°You¡¯d never bear to.¡± Xiao Wan teased, jumping out of his arms. She patted the blue Ferrari beside her and asked, ¡°What do you think of this car? Pretty, huh?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Pretty.¡±

    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go grab some pizza!¡± Xiao Wan pushed Chen Xin into the driver¡¯s seat, then hopped into the passenger side, stretching her long legs onto his lap. She directed him, ¡°Drive, Chen Little Darling.¡±

    Chen Xin glanced at her legs peeking out from beneath her leopard-print dress and frowned. ¡°Your legs are turning red from the cold. Didn¡¯t I tell you to buy a warmer dress? Why don¡¯t you ever listen?¡±

    Xiao Wan raised her eyebrows at him. ¡°Since when do cats listen to their owners?¡±

    Chen Xin sighed and turned on the car¡¯s heater before starting the engine and driving toward a nearby pizza place.

    He intended to grab the pizza and head back home to eat, but Xiao Wan had other plans. ¡°Let¡¯s eat by the riverside where we went last time. It¡¯s so pretty there.¡±

    ¡°Pretty and freezing,¡± Chen Xin muttered under his breath.

    Xiao Wan shot him a glare. ¡°I don¡¯t care! I want to eat there. If you don¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll jump out of the car right now!¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, you win.¡±

    Chen Xin ended up at the riverside, carrying pizza and drinks. As they sat in the chilly breeze, he draped his coat over her legs. Just as he contemplated moving closer to keep her warm, Xiao Wan beat him to it, snuggling into his arms.

    She grabbed a slice of pizza and marveled at the long, stretchy cheese strands. ¡°Look, look! Isn¡¯t this just amazing?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Chen Xin replied. Food never excited him much¡ªso long as it was edible, he was fine. But watching Xiao Wan light up over something as simple as melted cheese lifted his spirits.

    Thinking about the harsh words Harold and Ye Chen had said about Xiao Wan, his brows furrowed slightly. Pulling her closer, he spoke softly. ¡°Xiao Wan¡­¡±

    ¡°Mm? What¡¯s up?¡± Xiao Wan mumbled through a mouthful of pizza.

    ¡°I know we haven¡¯t known each other for very long, and it might seem abrupt to say this. But no matter what others think of you, I never will. I believe in you. Like Maggie said, you¡¯re the best girl in the world.¡±

    Xiao Wan froze mid-chew, staring at Chen Xin. Just as he thought he had touched her heart and was bracing for some heartfelt response, she opened her mouth.

    ¡°Chen Little Darling.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± He leaned forward, hopeful.

    ¡°I really want to do it with you right here.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡± Chen Xin felt his blood pressure spike. ¡°Lin Xiao Wan! I¡¯m being serious!¡±

    ¡°So am I! You gazed at me with so much affection. Weren¡¯t you seducing me?¡± Xiao Wan said innocently.

    Chen Xin took a deep breath, grabbed a slice of pizza, and shoved it into her mouth. ¡°Eat. Don¡¯t talk.¡±

    Xiao Wan laughed gleefully before leaning up to kiss his cheek. Then, in a softer voice, she whispered into his ear, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Chen Xin paused, momentarily stunned, before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He tightened his arms around her, holding her closer.

    After dinner, the two returned to the villa, where the household staff had begun to return for their evening duties.

    Introducing her to everyone, Chen Xin said, ¡°This is my friend, Lin Xiao Wan. She¡¯ll be staying here for a while. Please treat her as you would treat my family.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The middle-aged housekeeper gave her a polite nod. ¡°Welcome, Miss Lin. I¡¯m Ellie.¡±

    Xiao Wan, surprisingly, set aside her usual playful demeanor and greeted everyone courteously. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±

    Ellie smiled warmly. ¡°It¡¯s our duty to take care of you. If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know.¡±

    Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Did you make all those delicious treats in the fridge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Ellie replied.

    ¡°Your cooking skills are amazing! They could rival a top chef¡¯s! Chen Little Darling, you should give her a raise!¡± Xiao Wan grabbed the housekeeper Ellie¡¯s hand and declared enthusiastically.

    Ellie smiled and said, ¡°No need. Mr. Chen is very generous, and I¡¯m satisfied with my current salary. If you¡¯d like anything special, just let me know during my working hours, and I¡¯ll make it for you.¡±

    ¡°Yay! Ellie, you¡¯re the best!¡± Xiao Wan cheered.

    Chen Xin chuckled at the sight of Xiao Wan animatedly chatting with Ellie. ¡°I¡¯ll head upstairs to work. Xiao Wan, call me if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Go, go,¡± Xiao Wan waved him off, already deep in discussion with Ellie about tomorrow¡¯s breakfast.

    An hour later, Chen Xin came downstairs to find Ellie had already gone home. Xiao Wan was lounging on the carpet watching TV, a feast spread across the coffee table in front of her: freshly baked strawberry and chocolate pies, creamy bacon pasta, and sizzling steak.

    Amused, Chen Xin asked, ¡°Why did you have Ellie make so much food? Can you even finish it all?¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately shielded the table protectively. ¡°Even if I can¡¯t finish, you¡¯re not getting any. It¡¯s all mine!¡±

    ¡°All yours, all yours. I¡¯m not fighting you for it,¡± Chen Xin said, sitting beside her. ¡°I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll overeat and upset your stomach.¡±

    Noticing Xiao Wan¡¯s enthusiasm for food, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you not eat well when you were working as a street performer?¡±

    Xiao Wan took a bite of strawberry pie and casually replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten well since I was born.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Chen Xin froze.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Xiao Wan waved it off and pointed to the TV. ¡°Look, look! They¡¯re playing Saw! I love this movie!¡±

    Chen Xin could tell she was changing the subject, but he didn¡¯t press further. Despite her cheerful and carefree demeanor, his intuition told him there was deep sorrow behind her laughter. If she wasn¡¯t ready to share, he wouldn¡¯t force her.

    Instead, he switched topics. ¡°Xiao Wan, I know you told me not to meddle in your life, but I do have a suggestion. Just hear me out, and if you don¡¯t like it, feel free to stop me. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Xiao Wan responded absently, her eyes glued to the screen.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing: I think you should consider getting a job. It doesn¡¯t have to pay much, but it¡¯ll help you learn and keep you from feeling aimless over time. If you¡¯re interested, I can fund your band, find you a manager, and help you pursue music professionally. Maybe even release an album. What do you think?¡±

    Xiao Wan turned to him, her expression unreadable.

    Chen Xin quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to profit off you or anything. I just want to enrich your life. Don¡¯t worry about the costs¡ªif it all fails, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Pfft,¡± Xiao Wan burst out laughing. ¡°Silly Little Darling, do you really think I¡¯m unemployed?¡±

    Chen Xin blinked. ¡°Then you¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still in university,¡± Xiao Wan said, popping a piece of steak into her mouth.

    ¡°University?¡± Chen Xin asked, surprised. ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°N City Academy of Arts and Media.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s eyes widened. Even as someone uninvolved in the arts, he knew it was one of the top art schools in the world. Xiao Wan was a student there?

    ¡°That¡¯s a prestigious school! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You never asked. Besides, I didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. I only applied on a whim and got in. I thought it was just an average school,¡± Xiao Wan replied casually.

    Chen Xin chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you attend classes, then?¡±

    ¡°Classes are boring!¡± Xiao Wan pouted. ¡°The content is so dull! That¡¯s why Maggie and I started the band for fun.¡±

    ¡°Wait, all four of you are from the same school?¡± Chen Xin asked, even more astonished.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Wan glanced at him and burst out laughing again. ¡°You look so shocked! I bet I could fit two eggs in your mouth right now.¡±

    Chen Xin quickly composed himself and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your major? Music? Directing?¡±

    ¡°Not telling,¡± Xiao Wan teased. ¡°You¡¯re so nosy! Just watch the movie. Look, the guy¡¯s about to get gutted by the girl!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed and let the topic drop for now, but he couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I still think you should go back to school. Skipping classes isn¡¯t good.¡±

    ¡°Nope, school¡¯s boring,¡± Xiao Wan said stubbornly. Then, with a mischievous look, she added, ¡°Unless you go with me.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Chen Xin thought for a moment. ¡°But my company¡¯s really busy lately¡­¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep skipping!¡± Xiao Wan huffed. ¡°If you don¡¯t come with me, I¡¯m not going!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed, feeling like a caretaker yet again. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll have my assistant rearrange my schedule and take a day to go with you. Happy?¡±

    ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best, Chen Little Darling!¡± Xiao Wan threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. ¡°Now, promise me one more thing?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about sharing a bed, forget it,¡± Chen Xin replied flatly.

    ¡°¡­ Stingy!¡± Xiao Wan grumbled, slapping half-eaten strawberry pie onto his face before storming off to watch TV.

    To free up time to accompany Xiao Wan, Chen Xin condensed several days¡¯ work into one, leaving him swamped. That evening, his close friend Ye Chen dropped by the office, demanding dinner.

    When Chen Xin explained he was too busy, Ye Chen was furious. ¡°You¡¯re ditching me again? Are we even friends anymore?!¡±

    Chen Xin, overwhelmed, suggested, ¡°How about this: go to my place and wait. I¡¯ll have the housekeeper make dinner, and we¡¯ll eat there.¡±

    Initially ready to curse him for being stingy, Ye Chen¡¯s expression shifted as an idea struck. ¡°Fine. See you at your place!¡± He rushed out before Chen Xin could change his mind.

    Half an hour later, Chen Xin realized his mistake¡ªhe¡¯d just sent Ye Chen to his house, where Xiao Wan was. Given Ye Chen¡¯s crude personality, who knew what trouble he might cause?

    But it was too late. Ye Chen was already at the villa¡¯s doorstep.

    Hearing the commotion, Xiao Wan ran downstairs, shouting happily, ¡°You¡¯re back, Chen Litt¡ª¡±

    Instead of Chen Xin, she saw a roguish young man radiating mischief.

    They locked eyes for one second, and both instantly came to the same conclusion: This person is really annoying.

    If there was ever a living definition of ¡°like repels like,¡± Xiao Wan felt it perfectly applied to her and this guy. One look was enough to recognize he was as much of a troublemaker as she was.

 16.Set the dogs loose

    Xiao Wan reined in her delighted expression, giving the man in front of her a cold look. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Ye Chen, already annoyed by her tone, snorted through his nose, shoved his hands in his pockets, and strode in. He sized her up from head to toe, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°I¡¯m Ye Chen, Chen Xin¡¯s childhood buddy. Finally meeting you¡ªwhat a pain it¡¯s been, Miss Gold Digger. I thought someone who had Chen Xin wrapped around her finger would be an absolute stunner, but now that I see you, you¡¯re just¡­ average. If I scattered some money off the Empire State Building, I¡¯d find ten women prettier than you.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so amazing.¡± Xiao Wan clapped her hands mockingly. ¡°But your introduction is way too long, and I don¡¯t like it. Please leave.¡±

    With that, she stepped forward, shoved Ye Chen hard toward the door, and made to close it.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Caught off guard, Ye Chen stumbled back, almost falling. Regaining his balance, he quickly charged forward to block her from closing the door, gritting his teeth. ¡°Chen Xin and I go way back, to when we were in diapers! Who the hell are you? Let me in, or I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡±

    Xiao Wan glanced over at the three restless dogs tethered in the corner of the hall. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she loosened her grip on the door.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ye Chen glared at her, stepping confidently into the villa. A little girl like her can¡¯t stop me, he thought smugly.

    But the moment he turned, he saw Xiao Wan untie the three large dogs in the corner. Pointing in his direction, she shouted, ¡°Darlings, dinner¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± The dogs bared their teeth and charged at Ye Chen. Despite being a sturdy man, he panicked at the sight and quickly backed away. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t bite! Don¡¯t bite! It¡¯s me! You¡¯ve seen me before! I even fed you guys! Don¡¯t you remember¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, the largest golden retriever lunged, tearing his pant leg with a single bite. The other two followed suit, tackling him to the ground and pinning him down, growling menacingly.

    One of the golden retriever¡¯s paws landed dangerously close to Ye Chen¡¯s crotch. He broke out in a cold sweat, frozen in fear. He could only shout, ¡°Damn it! Lin Xiao Wan! Call them off, or I swear I¡¯ll make you pay!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, you know my name?¡± Xiao Wan strolled over leisurely, crouched beside him, and rested her chin on her hand. ¡°I¡¯m curious¡ªhow are you going to make me pay? Because right now, it¡¯s pretty obvious who¡¯s in trouble. Tell me, what do you think will happen if I bring a bag of dog food and scatter it all over there?¡±

    She pointed at his crotch with an innocent look in her big, bright eyes.

    This woman is ruthless! Ye Chen gritted his teeth and turned desperately to the house staff. ¡°I¡¯m Chen Xin¡¯s friend! Are you just going to stand there and watch? Help me out here!¡±

    The maid, Ellie, stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We¡¯d love to help, but these three only listen to Miss Lin. There¡¯s nothing we can do. Besides, I must say, your tone and attitude toward her were quite disrespectful. Perhaps you could try apologizing?¡±

    Even the staff are on her side! Ye Chen felt utterly helpless. Gritting his teeth, he turned to Xiao Wan. ¡°Fine! What do you want?¡±

    Xiao Wan blinked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Ellie? Apologize to me.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯m sorry! Is that good enough? Now call them off!¡±

    Xiao Wan looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Really? That¡¯s how you apologize? So insincere. Didn¡¯t your grade school teacher teach you how to properly apologize?¡±

    ¡°Damn it¡ªFine! Fine! Just tell me what you want me to do!¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Xiao Wan tilted her head adorably, ¡°grab a piece of paper and write ¡®Lin Xiao Wan, I, Ye Chen, am sorry. I apologize to you¡¯ a hundred times. Then I¡¯ll think about forgiving you.¡±

    Ye Chen let out a scornful laugh. ¡°Write it a hundred times? You think I¡¯m some sucker you can boss around? Dream on!¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Xiao Wan said, clapping her hands and standing up. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Honestly, this idea is boring. Watching the dogs go after your crotch is much more fun. Ellie, bring me the dog food!¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    As Ellie handed her the bag, the golden retriever eyeing the food began drooling. Finally, Ye Chen caved, shouting in frustration, ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll write it! I¡¯ll write it, okay?¡±

    Xiao Wan smiled triumphantly and snapped her fingers. ¡°Good puppies! Go over there and let Ellie feed you.¡±

    The dogs immediately released Ye Chen, wagging their tails and circling Xiao Wan affectionately before following the maid to their food. Their docile behavior was a stark contrast to the ferocious display moments ago.

    Ye Chen shakily got up from the floor, glaring at Xiao Wan. She met his gaze curiously. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Ye? You¡¯re not going back on your word, are you?¡±

    ¡°Who said that!¡± Ye Chen snapped. ¡°Bring me the paper and pen¡ªI¡¯ll write it right now!¡±

    Half an hour later, when Chen Xin returned home, he found Ye Chen sitting at the coffee table, disheveled, scribbling away.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chen Xin asked, puzzled.

    Startled, Ye Chen quickly hid the paper and waved him off. ¡°Nothing! Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°What happened to your clothes?¡± Chen Xin frowned, looking him over.

    Before Ye Chen could make up an excuse, Xiao Wan came bounding down the stairs, throwing herself into Chen Xin¡¯s arms. ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re finally back! I missed you so much!¡±

    Chen Xin hugged her gently but glanced uneasily at Ye Chen. ¡°You two¡­ didn¡¯t fight, did you?¡±

    Xiao Wan pouted, her expression turning pitiful. ¡°Not only did we fight, but your friend was so mean to me! He scared me so much!¡±

    Ye Chen slammed the pen down in frustration. ¡°Scared? My ass! If anyone¡¯s the bully here, it¡¯s you! Who let the dogs loose on me, huh? And now you¡¯re playing innocent just because Chen Xin¡¯s back?!¡±

    Chen Xin turned to Xiao Wan. ¡°You sicced the dogs on him?¡±

    However, Xiaowan widened her innocent, tearful eyes and said, ¡°That¡¯s not true! He called me a gold digger and even said I should die a horrible death! The dogs only rushed over because they were upset on my behalf. They were trying to protect me! If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Ellie¡ªshe can vouch for me!¡±

    Ellie, standing nearby, nodded calmly.

    Chen Xin frowned and turned to Ye Chen. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I can handle my issues with Xiaowan myself; I don¡¯t need your interference. Why did you insult her again?¡±

    Ye Chen yelled indignantly, ¡°But she set her dogs on me! Why aren¡¯t you talking about that? Chen Xin, don¡¯t let your feelings for her make you forget your friends! Look at my pants¡ªcompletely torn by the dogs!¡±

    Chen Xin massaged his temples with a sigh. ¡°I know you¡¯re just looking out for me, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to argue with you about Xiaowan anymore. If you two really can¡¯t get along, Ye Chen, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal outside.¡±

    Though Ye Chen couldn¡¯t stand this scheming woman, backing down now would make him look like a coward. He stood up and said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m petty? Fine, let¡¯s eat together. I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll set her dogs on me in front of you.¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Xiaowan said innocently. ¡°But if the dogs decide to jump at you on their own, that¡¯s not my fault.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough, you two! Stop arguing and eat!¡± Chen Xin raised his voice, issuing a rare order. Though he usually seemed gentle and easygoing, he could be authoritative when he wanted to.

    Ye Chen huffed but followed Chen Xin to the dining room. Taking advantage of his distraction, Xiaowan grabbed the long apology note Ye Chen had written and stuffed it into her pocket. Then she quickly caught up and clung to Chen Xin¡¯s arm.

    At the long dining table, Ellie had prepared an exquisite Western-style feast. Chen Xin sat at one side, Xiaowan next to him diagonally, and Ye Chen across from her.

    Xiaowan handed Chen Xin a freshly baked strawberry and raisin pie, saying sweetly, ¡°This is Ellie¡¯s specialty. Chen Little Sweetie, try it!¡±

    Just as Chen Xin reached for it, Xiaowan added, ¡°But don¡¯t take from the middle! You can only eat the edges! The strawberries and raisins are mine!¡±

    With a helpless smile, Chen Xin broke off a corner and tasted it. ¡°Mmm, delicious.¡±

    Ye Chen rolled his eyes. As he reached for some chicken salad, Xiaowan swiftly pulled the bowl toward herself. ¡°Chicken salad is my favorite! This whole bowl is mine!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Ye Chen bit back his anger. Fine, fine. A man shouldn¡¯t argue with such a petty woman.

    He turned to grab some escargot, only for Xiaowan to dump the entire plate into her bowl. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough for me. Ellie, please make more!¡±

    Were you starved to death in your past life? Ye Chen seethed internally, glaring at her. Xiaowan batted her eyelashes innocently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Ye? You look like you have something to say.¡±

    Ye Chen glanced at Chen Xin, who showed no intention of intervening, and ground his teeth. ¡°Nothing to say to you.¡±

    ¡°Then eat. Why are you staring at me? I¡¯m not food.¡±

    Have you given me anything to eat? You¡¯ve taken it all! Ye Chen fumed silently.

    At that moment, the servants brought sizzling steaks. Ye Chen finally felt he could eat properly¡ªuntil Xiaowan pointed at him and exclaimed, ¡°Chen Little Sweetie! His steak looks so good! I want it!¡±

    Chen Xin replied, ¡°But you already have one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I want his!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Ye Chen, could you switch with her?¡±

    He¡¯s definitely under some kind of spell! Ye Chen reluctantly handed over his steak. Xiaowan, however, speared it from his plate, leaving him only vegetables. ¡°You can just eat the greens,¡± she said.

    Finally, Ye Chen slammed the table in anger. ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Don¡¯t push it!¡±

    Xiaowan immediately cowered, her face pale as she fled into Chen Xin¡¯s arms. ¡°He¡¯s so scary! Chen Sweetie, I¡¯m so scared. Hold me, will you?¡±

    Chen Xin held her and said to Ye Chen, ¡°Just wait a moment. I¡¯ll have Ellie make you another.¡±

    Ye Chen, devastated, pointed accusingly at his best friend. ¡°Chen Xin, fine, let this woman control you! But why drag me into your misery?¡±

    Chen Xin sighed and looked down at Xiaowan in his arms. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t tease him anymore, okay? Ye Chen may have a temper, but he¡¯s my best friend. I really hope you two can get along.¡±

    Xiaowan stared at him for a moment before reluctantly saying, ¡°Fine. Since you¡¯ve been so sweet today, I¡¯ll forgive him.¡±

    She then pushed her food toward Ye Chen. ¡°Here, eat. I won¡¯t fight you for it anymore.¡±

    Ye Chen snorted and resumed eating, while Xiaowan, bored, began playing footsie under the table. Her foot crept along Chen Xin¡¯s leg, stroking his inner thigh.

    Chen Xin froze mid-bite, glancing at her with panic. He gestured frantically for her to stop, but Xiaowan only giggled and pressed harder.

    His face flushed crimson. Desperate, he reached under the table to grab her foot, trying to push it away. But Xiaowan resisted, their tug-of-war escalating until her foot accidentally slipped and hit Ye Chen between the legs.

    Ye Chen froze, then let out a piercing scream that echoed through the dining room: ¡°F***! F***! F***!¡±

 17.Ignite

    Ten minutes later, Xiaowan sat on the balcony of a second-floor room in the villa, dangling her legs outside the railing, swinging them back and forth as she gazed down at the garden below.

    Chen Xin approached Ye Chen, who was standing by the bushes in the garden, holding an ice pack given to him by a maid. Handing it to Ye Chen, he asked, ¡°Feeling better?¡±

    Ye Chen turned his head, glaring at him indignantly. ¡°You try getting kicked in the crotch and see if you recover this quickly!¡±

    Chen Xin apologized with a guilty expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡±

    ¡°Chen Xin, are you out of your mind? It wasn¡¯t you who kicked me¡ªit was Lin Xiaowan! What are you apologizing for?¡±

    Chen Xin hesitated to explain what had happened under the table earlier. That ambiguous moment was too awkward to put into words. So, he offered a vague excuse: ¡°I can guarantee you that Xiaowan didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Please don¡¯t blame her.¡±

    But Ye Chen was unconvinced, grinding his teeth in frustration. ¡°Not on purpose? Yeah, right! She definitely did it on purpose! When I arrived earlier today, she let your dog loose on me, aiming for my crotch! I dodged it, but apparently, she wasn¡¯t satisfied and kicked me under the table! You know what? Thanks to her, I can forget about hooking up with anyone for the next week! She¡¯s pure evil, man. Get rid of her, or I swear I¡¯ll consider cutting ties with you!¡±

    Listening to his friend¡¯s incessant complaints, which grew more agitated by the second, Chen Xin felt his head pounding. Blushing slightly, he decided to come clean. ¡°She wasn¡¯t aiming at you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She¡­ She was actually rubbing her foot against my leg. I tried to push her away, but it ended up hitting you instead,¡± Chen Xin confessed awkwardly.

    Ye Chen froze for a moment before realization dawned on him. His face twisted into even greater fury. ¡°Damn it! So I took the hit for you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I really didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡±

    Ye Chen sighed heavily, visibly calming down. ¡°Fine, fine. I guess it wasn¡¯t your fault. But seriously, Chen Xin, listen to me: you can¡¯t handle a woman like her. Let her go before it¡¯s too late!¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it simply for you,¡± Ye Chen said, gesturing emphatically. ¡°If dating were a game, you¡¯d be a newbie who hasn¡¯t even left the starter zone, and Lin Xiaowan would be the final boss of the entire map. You¡¯re unarmed, unskilled, and you think you can take on the boss? You¡¯re asking for trouble. Give it up. Let me set you up with some easy targets to practice on first.¡±

    Chen Xin shook his head with a smile. ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t agree with your analogy that compares love to a game. I don¡¯t think the two are comparable. Second, I don¡¯t believe in categorizing women or treating relationships as a way to ¡®level up.¡¯ Love is about emotional investment. Once you¡¯re truly in it, you won¡¯t care whether she¡¯s an easy target or a boss. And finally, even if I were to entertain your gaming analogy, bosses are rare and valuable. I¡¯m not letting such a remarkable woman slip away. When you encountered a boss in a game, would you run away or try your best to defeat it?¡±

    Ye Chen was momentarily speechless.

    After a long pause, he reluctantly said, ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t get too emotionally involved. Women like her don¡¯t have hearts. You¡¯ll only end up hurt.¡±

    ¡°Xiaowan isn¡¯t heartless,¡± Chen Xin countered. ¡°She just pretends to be carefree. I can tell.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know a damn thing,¡± Ye Chen grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re just¡ª¡±

    Up on the balcony, Xiaowan squinted her eyes at Ye Chen¡¯s endless chatter and muttered, ¡°Men who talk too much are the worst.¡±

    Removing an elastic band from her wrist, she took out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it. Placing the cigarette on the elastic band, she formed a makeshift slingshot, aimed it at Ye Chen¡¯s annoying head, and fired.

    ¡°So trust me on this, man. You can fool around with Lin Xiaowan, but don¡¯t fall for her, and definitely don¡¯t spoil her. She needs to know that only by listening to you will she get what she wants. Otherwise¡ª¡±

    Chen Xin, already half-distracted, suddenly noticed a spark on Ye Chen¡¯s head. He interrupted him urgently, ¡°Your head¡¯s on fire!¡±

    Ye Chen rolled his eyes. ¡°What kind of excuse is that? I¡¯m not done talking!¡±

    ¡°No, really! Your head is actually on fire!¡±

    Still skeptical, Ye Chen was about to retort when he felt a burning sensation on his scalp. Yelping in pain, he realized his hair was singed. Thankfully, Chen Xin reacted quickly, using his shirt to extinguish the embers.

    ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Ye Chen muttered, clutching his burnt patch of hair. He spotted a still-smoking cigarette butt on the ground. Since he hadn¡¯t been smoking, where could it have come from?

    Scanning the area, his eyes landed on Xiaowan, who was waving at him innocently from the second-floor balcony.

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan, are you trying to kill me? I just got my hair cut!¡± Ye Chen shouted furiously.

    Xiaowan replied nonchalantly, ¡°Not my fault! A sudden gust of wind must have blown the cigarette butt onto your head. Even the heavens seem to disapprove of some people saying such awful things.¡±

    ¡°What gust of wind? You threw it on purpose!¡±

    ¡°I already said it wasn¡¯t me. Besides, with a face like yours, does it matter if you have hair or not?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª!¡±

    As Ye Chen teetered on the verge of a breakdown, Chen Xin quickly intervened. ¡°Alright, alright, it must¡¯ve been an accident. She¡¯s so far away¡ªhow could she possibly throw it that far?¡±

    Reluctantly, Ye Chen glanced at the distance and conceded. ¡°Fine! But I can¡¯t stay here any longer. First, she kicks me; now, she sets me on fire. What¡¯s next¡ªwill she try to kill me?¡±

    Xiaowan chimed in cheerfully from the balcony, ¡°Quite possibly! So, you¡¯d better leave. Don¡¯t let the door hit you on your way out!¡±

    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Ye Chen seethed, pointing at her in frustration. ¡°Lin Xiaowan, you just wait!¡±

    ¡°Waiting! Come bite me if you dare!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ye Chen stormed off in a huff. Chen Xin gave Xiaowan a helpless glance before running after his friend to see him out.

    When he returned, Chen Xin found Xiaowan lounging in her room. Pulling her to her feet, he chided her, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wear more? Why are you still in a skirt?¡±

    ¡°Because, like your dear friend said, I¡¯m just a gold digger fishing for men. Showing some leg is part of the bait,¡± Xiaowan replied airily.

    Chen Xin sighed, stepping closer to embrace her gently. ¡°I know you¡¯re not like that. I can¡¯t change how others see you right now, but please trust me¡ªI¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    Resting her head against his shirt, Xiaowan murmured, ¡°You men are all the same, just good at sweet-talking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just talking,¡± Chen Xin promised softly. Then, noticing a faint smell of smoke, he touched her face lightly. ¡°Smoking¡¯s bad for you. Promise me you¡¯ll try to cut back, okay?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Xiaowan said, pouting. ¡°Unless you kiss me.¡±

    Smiling, Chen Xin leaned down and kissed her. Xiaowan responded hungrily, her kisses bold and insistent.

    Though inexperienced, Chen Xin learned quickly, and soon their kisses grew more heated. As they moved to the bed, Xiaowan straddled him, tugging at his shirt¡ªonly for him to stop her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded, frustration flashing in her eyes.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± he said with a deep breath.

    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re a grown man¡ªwhat¡¯s the harm in me sleeping with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d lose something valuable,¡± he replied with a wry smile. ¡°I know you, Xiaowan. You don¡¯t love me yet. If we do this now, you might lose interest in me afterward. Your desire is the only thing keeping you drawn to me. I can¡¯t let it go to waste, right?¡±

    Xiaowan narrowed her eyes dangerously.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she relented sweetly. ¡°But can I kiss you one more time, Chen dear?¡±

    He nodded.

    Leaning in with a smile, she bit down hard on his neck, drawing blood.

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you,¡± she said, licking her lips as she got off him. ¡°If you tease me like that again, next time I¡¯ll bite something else.¡±

    Watching her leave, Chen Xin sighed before breaking into a soft laugh.

    Perhaps he was just a rookie, but who said rookies couldn¡¯t take down bosses?

    [Ex(es)]

    The next morning, Ye Chen sat in his office, scrolling through someone¡¯s Instagram profile on his phone.

    The owner of this profile had an audacious username: ¡°KittyOnlySleepsWithRichKids.¡±

    Even more audacious was her bio: ¡°An experienced gold digger. Men with net worths under 100 million USD, don¡¯t bother messaging me. Be self-aware, thanks.¡±

    The first word that would come to anyone¡¯s mind upon seeing this bio would undoubtedly be ¡°pretentious.¡±

    Ye Chen would have thought the same¡ªif he didn¡¯t know the profile owner was Lin Xiaowan. But he did, and he was sure that Xiaowan didn¡¯t put this line in her bio for mere bravado.

    To elaborate, Ye Chen had spent considerable effort last night tracking down Lin Xiaowan¡¯s Instagram. While he had recalled where he¡¯d heard her name before, finding her online footprint proved difficult¡ªlikely because the men who¡¯d interacted with her were exceptionally secretive about her.

    Eventually, Ye Chen managed to piece together clues from a friend named Guo Xin, a fellow rich kid who was just as well-versed in womanizing. Guo Xin¡¯s family was in the automobile industry back in China, with assets on par with Ye Chen¡¯s family. Due to his years of mingling with women, he¡¯d grown tired of ordinary relationships.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    This was almost two years ago when Guo Xin came to the U.S. for business. The two hung out daily, exchanging introductions to high-quality women. Ye Chen thought he was already quite the player until he realized Guo Xin was even better.

    With his sunny, big-brotherly looks, Guo Xin was far more appealing to women than Ye Chen¡¯s cooler, more aloof demeanor.

    During his month in the U.S., Guo Xin cycled through twenty women. Ye Chen advised him to slow down, but Guo Xin simply laughed, complaining: ¡°You think I want to? I¡¯m just not capable of commitment. No matter how great the girl is, it¡¯s boring after one night.¡±

    Ye Chen could only console him. Work got busy, and the two didn¡¯t see each other for three months. When they reunited, Ye Chen was shocked to find that Guo Xin seemed like a completely different person.

    Guo Xin, who had always laughed heartily yet perfunctorily, now had a genuine glow in his eyes. He excitedly told Ye Chen he was in love.

    Ye Chen thought he misheard and asked him to repeat himself. To his astonishment, Guo Xin earnestly admitted he had fallen for a girl and wanted to settle down, leaving behind his aimless lifestyle. Not only that, he urged Ye Chen to find someone and do the same.

    Ye Chen¡¯s initial thought: Did this guy get struck by lightning this morning? His second thought: Who¡¯s the girl?

    But Guo Xin nervously refused to reveal anything about her, afraid she¡¯d be ¡°stolen.¡± Ye Chen, uninterested in his friend¡¯s romantic partner, didn¡¯t press further and genuinely wished him well.

    However, people in love, no matter how hard they try to hide it, often can¡¯t help showing off. While scrolling Instagram, Ye Chen quickly noticed Guo Xin would ¡°accidentally¡± include glimpses of a girl¡ªher back, her hand, her bag¡ªand accompany these posts with sweet, heartfelt captions. He never tagged her or mentioned her name, leaving countless women speculating in envy about her identity.

    But how did Ye Chen eventually discover that Guo Xin¡¯s love interest was Lin Xiaowan?

    Because of a single photo.

    It was a picture of a birthday cake. A lavish multi-tiered cake with the words ¡°Happy birthday to my beloved Xiaowan¡± written in Chinese, signed with Guo Xin¡¯s English name.

    Ye Chen deduced that Guo Xin, caught up in his happiness, had finally slipped on Xiaowan¡¯s birthday, revealing her name.

    This revelation caused an uproar. Armed with a name, jealous women quickly dug up Lin Xiaowan¡¯s history of dating rich men and flooded the comments, begging Guo Xin to leave such a ¡°dirty woman.¡±

    Guo Xin¡¯s response? One simple sentence: ¡°I knew all that from the beginning, but she¡¯s not as bad as you think. She¡¯s actually an angel. You¡¯ve misunderstood her.¡±

    Ye Chen almost choked with laughter when he saw this, amazed by Xiaowan¡¯s skill in bewitching someone like Guo Xin. Naturally, he remembered her name.

    But he never bothered to learn what Xiaowan looked like, as he wasn¡¯t interested in his friend¡¯s woman. The matter soon faded from memory¡ªuntil last night when he recalled everything in the car.

    He immediately opened Instagram and found that Guo Xin¡¯s account had been inactive for ages. The old photos of Xiaowan were still there, though the unmoderated comments section had turned into chaos. A bit of scrolling revealed many people tagging an account named ¡°KittyOnlySleepsWithRichKids¡± and cursing her for ruining Guo Xin.

    When Ye Chen clicked on the account, the profile picture stunned him. It was Lin Xiaowan¡ªand someone else.

    To be precise, it was Lin Xiaowan kissing a man with strikingly sharp and brooding features. She held a cigarette loosely in one hand while the man cupped her face passionately. The black-and-white aesthetic lent a decadent, melancholic vibe.

    Ye Chen sneered as he flipped through her photos, noticing she rarely posted and frequently featured the man from her profile picture¡ªlikely her bandmate and, according to her bio, a drummer.

    What amazed him, however, was her comment section. Despite her seemingly occupied relationship status, countless men left heartfelt messages like reminding her to dress warmly or advising her to smoke less.

    What shocked him further? He recognized some of these accounts.

    Many belonged to rich heirs he knew, some even more powerful than himself.

    Feeling indignant, Ye Chen commented: ¡°Step up to the mic, Lin Gold-Digger. Tell me, how do you bewitch so many men?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan replied instantly: ¡°Come back when your hair grows out, idiot.¡±

    Ye Chen fumed: ¡°You¡¯re the idiot! Believe me, I¡¯ll send your profile pic to Chen Xin right now!¡±

    Lin Xiaowan: ¡°Go ahead. Whoever doesn¡¯t do it is the real idiot.¡±

    Blinded by rage, Ye Chen actually sent it to Chen Xin and messaged her back: ¡°Done. Just wait.¡±

    Lin Xiaowan: ¡°Oh, how impressive. Let me return the favor with a picture of my own.¡±

    She promptly uploaded a photo of Ye Chen¡¯s handwritten apology from the night before, captioning it: ¡°A waste of elementary school education. Looks like it was scribbled by a dog. Wait¡ªam I insulting dogs?¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Ye Chen exploded in fury and hurled his phone away¡ªonly for it to ring seconds later. It was Guo Xin.

    He had a vague idea of what was going on. As soon as he put the phone to his ear, he heard Guo Xin shouting, ¡°What did you do to Xiao Wan? Ye Chen, I swear to god, if you dare to hurt her, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    ¡°F**k!¡± Ye Chen retorted angrily, ¡°Are you monitoring Lin Xiaowan¡¯s Instagram 24/7? Didn¡¯t you say you stopped using Instagram?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject! I¡¯m asking you, what did you do to Xiao Wan?¡± Guo Xin asked anxiously.

    Ye Chen sighed, rubbing his temples. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to her. It¡¯s Chen Xin¡ªshe¡¯s got her eyes on him.¡±

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Guo Xin spoke again. ¡°Chen Xin¡­ Then why are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m standing up for my best friend, trying to stop him from falling into this woman¡¯s trap. And then she turned the tables on me,¡± Ye Chen said helplessly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about anyone hurting her. Honestly, it¡¯s more like we need to worry about her not hurting others.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Xiao Wan is the best girl in the world. She¡¯s an angel¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, an angel. You don¡¯t need to repeat it,¡± Ye Chen interrupted, rolling his eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Guo Xin stopped him hurriedly. ¡°Can you¡­ can you tell Chen Xin to treat Xiao Wan well? She¡¯s had a tough life before.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s had a tough life! All I know is that if she¡¯s with

    ¡°Genius¡±

    After compressing a week¡¯s workload into three days, Chen Xin finally freed up time to accompany Xiao Wan to her classes.

    However, when he went to wake her up that morning, she began making excuses.

    ¡°I stayed up watching movies until 3 a.m. last night. I¡¯m so tired. Let me sleep a bit more. I¡¯ll go to school tomorrow,¡± Xiao Wan mumbled in a sleepy voice, curling up under her silk camisole nightgown.

    ¡°No way. You¡¯ve skipped school long enough. You have to go today,¡± Chen Xin said firmly as he gently brushed her hair from her face. ¡°Come on, Ellie made lots of delicious food for you.¡±

    Xiao Wan opened one eye, sniffed, and asked in a nasally tone, ¡°Are there mango egg tarts?¡±

    ¡°There are.¡±

    ¡°Vanilla cream puffs?¡±

    ¡°Yes, freshly made. They smell amazing¡ªcome downstairs and see for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Then I also want a Birkin Himalayan.¡±

    ¡°A Herm¨¨s? Sure, if you behave and go to class today, I¡¯ll order one for you.¡±

    ¡°But I want it now!¡± Xiao Wan whined, pulling the covers tighter around her. ¡°If you don¡¯t get it for me, I¡¯ll stay in this bed until the end of time!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Where am I supposed to find a Himalayan Birkin on such short notice? Can we settle for a regular one for now?¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t care! No Birkin, no school!¡± Xiao Wan declared, burying herself deeper under the blanket.

    Reluctantly, Chen Xin stroked her head through the covers and said, ¡°Alright, wait here.¡±

    He left the room and made several calls to friends and business partners, eventually finding one whose wife had waited months for a Himalayan Birkin. By offering a hefty price, he persuaded them to part with it. The bag was delivered to him by their driver shortly after.

    Returning to the bedroom, he announced, ¡°Alright, your bag is here. Now get up, or you¡¯ll be late for class.¡±

    Xiao Wan yawned, reluctantly crawling out of bed. As she did, the strap of her black lace nightgown slipped down her smooth shoulder, revealing her fair skin. A delicate crescent-moon necklace rested near her collarbone, accentuating her flawless complexion.

    Chen Xin flushed slightly and quickly adjusted her strap. ¡°Go wash up. I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡±

    But Xiao Wan grabbed his hand, placing it on her chest with a mischievous grin. ¡°Want to touch? I¡¯m a natural E-cup, you know.¡±

    ¡°Stop fooling around!¡± Chen Xin scolded, retreating and shutting the door behind him.

    Xiao Wan burst into laughter, rolling on the bed. ¡°Teasing a shy virgin every day is just too much fun!¡±

    After freshening up, she came downstairs and had breakfast with Chen Xin. Only after his repeated urging did she reluctantly get into the car to head to school.

    The N City Academy of Arts and Media, located in the prestigious Upper East district, spanned a vast area. Despite it being winter, the campus¡¯s serene landscaping gave it the feel of a tranquil park.

    The main entrance featured a grand marble staircase leading up to an open platform. On the platform stood a massive, abstract sculpture resembling twisted tree branches. The largest ¡°branch¡± bore an inconspicuous inscription in elegant lettering: ¡°N City Academy of Arts and Media.¡±

    Despite its quirky appearance, the school had recently produced numerous talented artists, screenwriters, and directors for Hollywood and beyond.

    At around 9 a.m., students with no classes were scattered about the campus¡ªsome practicing instruments in shaded corridors, others collaborating on new compositions, or sketching the surrounding scenery. However, most appeared to be lounging around, idly smoking.

    When Chen Xin¡¯s Koenigsegg pulled up at the marble steps, it immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention. Enthusiastic car lovers whistled, while some took out their phones to snap pictures.

    After parking, Xiao Wan lifted her chin and ordered haughtily, ¡°Little Cutie, come around and open the door for me.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Chen Xin chuckled, stepping out to open her door.

    When Xiao Wan stepped out, holding his hand, the boys around them whistled even louder.

    She wore a retro black dress adorned with pearls around the collar, paired with a white mink coat. Her hair, styled in loose waves, cascaded over her shoulders, and she carried the Herm¨¨s Himalayan bag on her arm.

    As she walked arm-in-arm with Chen Xin up the steps, a group of boys called out mockingly:

    ¡°Hey, Kitty! Another sugar daddy? Oh wait¡ªthis isn¡¯t the last one. How many have you gone through this semester?¡±

    ¡°Let me count¡ªoh no, I¡¯ve run out of fingers!¡±

    Turning around, Xiao Wan shot them a seductive smile and flipped them off. ¡°Even if I went through every man on earth, none of you would make the cut. Go dream about me tonight, losers!¡±

    The boys clutched their chests dramatically, pretending to be wounded.

    Rolling her eyes, Xiao Wan pulled Chen Xin along. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Now you see why I hate coming to school?¡±

    Chen Xin noticed the way the male students ogled Xiao Wan, their gazes a mix of admiration and disrespect, while the female students avoided her as if she were a contagious disease.

    Squeezing her hand, he said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s worried?¡± she retorted, glaring at him. ¡°I just despise people who look down on me, that¡¯s all.¡±

    With that, she suddenly kissed him passionately in front of everyone.

    The crowd erupted into cheers and whistles. Stunned, Chen Xin slowly wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss.

    When she finally pulled away, she smirked. ¡°Little Cutie, you should eat vanilla cream puffs every morning. Your lips taste amazing.¡±

    Blushing furiously, Chen Xin cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, let¡¯s go. Where¡¯s your class?¡±

    Xiao Wan blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to school in two months! Who remembers their schedule?¡± She scratched her head, then made a call to check her timetable.

    Sighing, she said, ¡°Why did it have to be today?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with today?¡±

    ¡°Professional class. Ugh, I hate professional classes. Old Tom¡¯s lectures are so boring.¡±

    Chen Xin, however, was intrigued. ¡°I really want to know what you¡¯re studying.¡±

    Pinching his cheek, she said, ¡°Fine, fine. Since you¡¯ve been so sweet today, I¡¯ll take you.¡±

    Their destination was a large classroom on the top floor of a teaching building. As they approached, Chen Xin heard a beautiful melody from inside.

    She studies music? What instrument?

    Before he could wonder further, Xiao Wan burst through the door, shouting, ¡°Long time no see, everyone! I¡¯m back!¡±

    Inside, a dozen students sat beside large harps. Their faces lit up with anticipation when they saw her.

    So, she plays the harp? Chen Xin was surprised. The vibrant, audacious Xiao Wan didn¡¯t seem like someone who would play such an elegant instrument.

    The elderly white-haired professor at the podium frowned at her and shouted, ¡°Why are you here? I¡¯ve already filed for your expulsion with the principal!¡±

    Xiao Wan cast a casual glance at him and, pulling Chen Xin into the classroom, said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare, Professor. Without me, who¡¯s going to check your sheet music?¡± Then she turned to the other students and announced, ¡°By the way, this is my new boyfriend. Handsome, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Super handsome!¡±

    ¡°Even better than the last one!¡±

    ¡°You two are a perfect match, Xiao Wan!¡±

    Chen Xin, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, ¡°Maybe I should leave. You all can focus on your class without me disturbing you.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Everyone immediately stopped him, pulling over a chair and gesturing for him to sit. ¡°This seat is reserved for you. Stay right here. If you leave, Xiao Wan will get mad and leave too, and then we¡¯re doomed.¡±

    Perplexed, Chen Xin sat down. As he looked closer, he noticed a message scrawled in black marker on the chair¡¯s backrest: Belong to Kitty¡¯s boyfriend.

    Next to it, someone had tallied marks in sets of five, totaling thirteen. Chen Xin had a sneaking suspicion the number represented Xiao Wan¡¯s previous boyfriends.

    Meanwhile, the white-haired professor at the podium was still fuming. ¡°As a student, you¡¯ve skipped class for over two months! Do you even respect this school or me as your teacher? Do you realize how many renowned harpists this institution has produced? People who¡¯ve graced the world with countless masterpieces! And here you are, wasting resources! This time, I will have you expelled!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xiao Wan sat down next to her harp, running her fingers over its frame as she spoke, ¡°If you really meant to expel me, Professor, why is my harp still here?¡±

    The white-haired man flushed. ¡°I¡­ forgot to have it removed, alright?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, stop being so tsundere. Old men trying to act aloof aren¡¯t cute at all.¡± Xiao Wan pouted and pulled a nearby classmate closer. ¡°So, why¡¯s he in such a bad mood today? What did you guys do this time?¡±

    The classmate answered, ¡°Professor made us practice a new piece, but after more than a month, no one can play it perfectly. And with you skipping class, he¡¯s furious. He even threatened to quit teaching.¡±

    Xiao Wan giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that threat over a hundred times. Alright, alright, where¡¯s the piece? Let me see.¡±

    The student handed her a tablet with the sheet music displayed. The professor immediately exclaimed, ¡°You won¡¯t manage it this time! Even the best harpist from the Philharmonic Orchestra needed a week to master this!¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± Xiao Wan skimmed the score quickly, placed her hands gently on the harp strings, and set her foot on the pedal. Glancing back at Chen Xin with a playful wink, she began to play.

    The very first note sent a shiver through Chen Xin¡¯s heart. The piece had a lively tempo, and combined with the harp¡¯s crisp and elegant tone, it transported him into a magical garden full of singing birds and blooming flowers.

    As Xiao Wan played, her demeanor completely changed. She glanced at the score briefly before setting it aside, her hands dancing deftly over the strings, her gaze lovingly fixed on the golden harp. It was as if she regarded the instrument as her most treasured possession. The harp, in turn, seemed to respond to her reverence, producing perfect, harmonious tones that resonated deeply.

    The white-haired professor¡¯s anger dissipated as he listened. Watching Xiao Wan flawlessly perform a piece she had just seen for the first time, his eyes reddened slightly. It was the respect of a seasoned harpist for a prodigious talent, but also a tinge of regret¡ªfor this extraordinary student seemed increasingly disinterested in her studies.

    When the piece ended, the classroom was enveloped in silence. Chen Xin sat frozen, unable to move. In his eyes, Xiao Wan now seemed to radiate an ethereal glow, as if she were the very embodiment of a songbird.

    The professor finally sighed. ¡°Alright, you played well. Only one mistake.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a mistake. I think it sounds better with an ascending note there,¡± Xiao Wan countered.

    ¡°Really? An ascending note?¡± The professor asked cautiously.

    ¡°Yep. Try it yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Xiao Wan suddenly realized something and teased, ¡°Oh¡­ so it¡¯s one of your original compositions again, isn¡¯t it? No wonder everyone¡¯s been struggling with it. Professor, why do you keep torturing us with pieces that are beyond our level?¡±

    Her remark elicited quiet agreement from the other students, who seemed to have suffered under the professor¡¯s demanding standards for some time.

    The professor glared at the class but replied earnestly, ¡°Then how come you can play it? I just wanted to see if they¡­ if they could¡ª¡±

    ¡°If they could be as good as me?¡± Xiao Wan grinned smugly. ¡°Of course, they can¡¯t. Didn¡¯t you say it yourself, Professor? I¡¯m a genius.¡±

    Chen Xin had expected the other students to be annoyed by this comment. Instead, they all nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with admiration and envy.

    The professor sighed in resignation. ¡°I regret ever calling you that. Ever since I praised you as a genius, you¡¯ve been skipping classes nonstop.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not why I skip class¡­¡± Xiao Wan¡¯s expression dimmed slightly, as if recalling something sad. But she quickly hid it and playfully winked at the professor. ¡°It¡¯s because your lectures on theory are so boring! Anyway, I¡¯ve learned the piece. I¡¯m off now. You guys carry on!¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±

    The professor tried to stop her, but Xiao Wan had already grabbed Chen Xin¡¯s hand and dashed out of the room.

 18.Confrontation

    [Confrontation]

    ¡°Is it really okay to leave like that?¡± Chen Xin asked Xiao Wan, who was walking ahead of him as they left the teaching building.

    ¡°It¡¯s totally fine. Trust me, you definitely don¡¯t want to listen to old man Tom talk about the history of the harp. It¡¯s literally the most sleep-inducing lecture ever. Better than sleeping pills,¡± Xiao Wan said with a completely serious expression.

    Chen Xin reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright. So, what¡¯s next? Any other classes?¡±

    ¡°No more classes this morning! I¡¯ll take you around campus for some fun!¡± Xiao Wan said excitedly, swinging his hand back and forth. ¡°Our school actually has lots of cool spots!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, let me see¡­ Whoa, there¡¯s someone sketching over there! Let¡¯s go check it out!¡± Xiao Wan grabbed his hand and ran ahead.

    Chen Xin saw the person she pointed at: a bespectacled boy sitting in front of an easel, sketching a scene of a small bridge, the river beneath it, and some bare trees nearby.

    Xiao Wan hopped over, watched him draw for a while, and decided his skills were pretty good. ¡°Hey, little junior, when you finish this sketch, can you draw one of me and my boyfriend? I¡¯ll pay you a thousand bucks.¡±

    The boy immediately nodded enthusiastically. ¡°No problem! I can draw it for you right now!¡±

    Xiao Wan gleefully pulled Chen Xin onto the bridge, snuggling against him sweetly. She waved to the boy. ¡°You can start now!¡±

    Chen Xin looked down at the girl in his arms. Her white mink fur coat made her skin look translucent and flawless, like fine porcelain. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand why so many people liked her.

    Thinking of the number carved on the chair earlier, he couldn¡¯t help but ask with a hint of jealousy, ¡°What number am I?¡±

    ¡°What number? Oh, you mean asking someone to sketch us? Hmm¡­ let me think¡­ Fifth, I guess.¡±

    Xiao Wan instantly caught on to his meaning, leaving him momentarily stunned. ¡°I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t understand what you meant? Do I look that clueless, Chen Xiaoguai?¡± Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. ¡°You went to class with me, so you must¡¯ve seen the number on that chair, right?¡±

    Chen Xin awkwardly rubbed his nose. ¡°Ahem. If that¡¯s the case, why is the chair marked with thirteen, but there are only five sketches?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t always run into people sketching when I feel like it. Plus, whether I do or not depends entirely on my mood.¡± Xiao Wan said matter-of-factly, then fixed her cunning gaze on his expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Jealous? Or can¡¯t handle the fact that I¡¯ve had so many guys in my life?¡±

    Chen Xin gazed deeply into her mischievous, sharp exterior, which barely concealed the sorrow behind it. He tightened his embrace and murmured, ¡°A little jealous, yes. But mostly, I regret not meeting you sooner.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t tell me you have some kind of virginity complex?¡± Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. ¡°Meeting me sooner wouldn¡¯t have mattered¡ªI lost that ages ago.¡±

    Chen Xin pinched her cheek, both amused and exasperated. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that! I¡¯m saying that if I¡¯d met you earlier, maybe you wouldn¡¯t have had to feel so sad for so long.¡±

    Xiao Wan froze for a moment, then stomped on his foot hard. ¡°Who says I¡¯m sad? Stop being so full of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± She had stomped with real force. Chen Xin gasped in pain but held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. ¡°Okay, okay, it¡¯s my bad for overthinking. Let¡¯s stop talking about it and let the student finish our sketch.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Xiao Wan hummed softly, curling into his arms and breathing deeply, as though absorbing his scent.

    The bespectacled boy worked earnestly, and by the time he finished the sketch, it was already noon. Xiao Wan happily admired the portrait of her and Chen Xin, saying, ¡°You¡¯re really talented, little junior. When we get home, we should frame this and hang it up, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Whatever you say.¡±

    Xiao Wan gently touched his ear. ¡°Good boy. Let¡¯s go¡ªI¡¯ll take you to eat at our school¡¯s cafeteria.¡±

    The cafeteria¡¯s design was striking¡ªit looked like a massive violin plunged diagonally into the ground. The sound holes in the body of the violin framed the entrance. At this time of day, many students were flocking toward it after their last morning class.

    Xiao Wan pulled Chen Xin through the crowd at a trot. ¡°Hurry up! If we¡¯re late, all the good food will be gone!¡±

    Luckily, the cafeteria wasn¡¯t too crowded yet. Xiao Wan managed to snag her favorites: lemon fried chicken bites and a strawberry milkshake. She sat happily at a table and said to Chen Xin, ¡°Little Guai, feed me!¡±

    Chen Xin picked up a fork, ready to feed her a bite of chicken, but Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. ¡°Not like that.¡±

    She took a piece of chicken herself, then brought it to his lips, raising an eyebrow in playful challenge.

    Chen Xin, embarrassed and a little shy, glanced around nervously before finally taking a bite. Xiao Wan munched the rest of the chicken noisily, then leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± She sipped her milkshake contentedly and asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it taste better this way?¡±

    Chen Xin gently wiped the crumbs from her mouth and said softly, ¡°Hmm.¡±

    At that moment, Xiaowan¡¯s classmates happened to pass by. They greeted her warmly, and one male classmate even patted Chen Xin on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Good luck, bro, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡±

    As they left, Chen Xin overheard their conversation:

    ¡°Thirty?¡±

    ¡°More than that, I bet fifty. Did you see that Himalayan bag Xiaowan¡¯s holding?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and that supercar parked at the entrance must be his too.¡±

    ¡°But I still think the last guy was better¡­¡±

    Xiaowan looked up from her chicken nuggets to see Chen Xin¡¯s puzzled expression. She blandly explained, ¡°They¡¯re guessing how many billions of dollars you¡¯re worth. Honestly, it¡¯s been so long, and they still never tire of this game. If some girl comes over later to ask for your number, you better not talk to her.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled, ¡°How could I? No one here knows me.¡±

    ¡°But everyone knows me, and they all know the man next to me can¡¯t possibly be poor,¡± Xiaowan said as she played with her fork. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re already the prime target for those girls who look down on me.¡±

    Chen Xin adjusted her hair slightly, ¡°Hmm, but I¡¯m yours and yours alone.¡±

    ¡°Oh, such a smooth talker.¡± Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and fed him a piece of chicken. ¡°This is your reward.¡±

    But before they could deal with the girls supposedly eyeing Chen Xin, an unexpected guest arrived¡ªor rather, an unexpected group of guests.

    The group of boys was a mix of various races, all students at the school. They walked in with cold, stern expressions, causing others in the cafeteria to quickly move away as if avoiding a plague.

    Leading them was Leng Qing.

    With a cigarette dangling from his lips and his hands stuffed in his pockets, Leng Qing strolled in. One of his buddies immediately approached to point out the direction, ¡°Brother Yi, they¡¯re over there.¡±

    Following the direction, Leng Qing spotted Xiaowan chatting and laughing with Chen Xin while eating.

    He snorted and strode toward them. Wherever he passed, the students gave way, allowing him to reach them unimpeded.

    Chen Xin was the first to notice Leng Qing since Xiaowan had her back to him.

    Looking up, Chen Xin saw Xiaowan¡¯s band drummer glaring icily at him. He smiled faintly and greeted, ¡°Hello there.¡±

    Hearing his voice, Xiaowan turned and exclaimed, ¡°Leng Qing? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Having lunch,¡± Leng Qing replied curtly. He pulled out the chair next to Xiaowan and sat down, motioning for one of his friends to grab him food.

    As soon as Leng Qing sat down in his brash manner, Xiaowan smacked him in the face with her bag. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why¡¯d you bring your whole gang here? Tell them to scram!¡±

    Leng Qing scratched where she¡¯d hit him and told the group, ¡°You guys can leave. Tell Jer to go too after bringing me my meal.¡±

    ¡°Go buy it yourself!¡± Xiaowan smacked him again. ¡°What do you think this is, some gangster movie?¡±

    Reluctantly, Leng Qing got up, cigarette still in his mouth, and walked off to get his food.

    His crew exchanged glances nervously, but Xiaowan shot them a fierce glare. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    One brown-haired boy stammered, ¡°W-We haven¡¯t had lunch yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Then sit far away where I can¡¯t see you!¡±

    The group scattered instantly, all traces of their earlier arrogance gone.

    Xiaowan let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Ugh, he ruined my appetite. Let¡¯s go.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    But Chen Xin refused to back down in front of Leng Qing. ¡°You¡¯re classmates and bandmates. Since he¡¯s here, let¡¯s eat together.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re also f*** buddies!¡± Xiaowan shot him a glare, grabbed her bag, and stormed off. ¡°Stay if you want. I¡¯m leaving. Goodbye!¡±

    Clicking away in her heels, Xiaowan disappeared before long. When Leng Qing returned with his tray, he glanced at her retreating figure and asked Chen Xin, ¡°Not going after her?¡±

    Chen Xin smiled and met Leng Qing¡¯s icy gaze. ¡°No need. I know she won¡¯t leave my side for long.¡±

    Leng Qing smirked coldly, extinguishing his cigarette in the tray. ¡°Three months.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t play with you for more than three months,¡± Leng Qing said calmly, as if he¡¯d seen it all before¡ªand in fact, he had.

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t argue but instead asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious, how did you and Xiaowan meet? Care to share?¡±

    ¡°Ask her yourself. See if she¡¯ll tell you,¡± Leng Qing replied. ¡°But I doubt it. There are a lot of things about her only I know.¡±

    Chen Xin detected the pride in his tone, as if Leng Qing were the only one who truly understood Xiaowan.

    Leng Qing added, ¡°Take my advice: leave her while you still can. Otherwise, you¡¯ll end up in misery.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Misery? Are you planning to teach me a lesson, the man who knows everything about Xiaowan?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t have to. You¡¯ll start tormenting yourself,¡± Leng Qing said indifferently. ¡°After she dumps you. Every guy she¡¯s been with ends up that way. You¡¯re no exception.¡±

    Chen Xin laughed. ¡°In that case, all I need to do is make sure she never leaves me, right?¡±

    Leng Qing paused, then suddenly swung a punch at Chen Xin. But Chen Xin reacted swiftly, blocking the punch with his arm. His expression remained calm as he smiled. ¡°You practice martial arts? I could tell from the way you walked in. Unfortunately, so do I.¡±

    Leng Qing sneered. ¡°Then let¡¯s spar.¡±

    Before Chen Xin could reply, Xiaowan returned abruptly and smacked Leng Qing on the head. ¡°Spar, my ass! What is wrong with you, Leng Qing? Fighting in a cafeteria? What are you thinking?¡±

    Leng Qing rubbed his head, dropped his fists, and sat back down. Xiaowan turned her anger on Chen Xin. ¡°And you! I left, and you didn¡¯t chase me? Got some nerve, huh? Want me to dump you right now?¡±

    Chen Xin quickly stood, grabbing her hand apologetically. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. I was just joking with him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how funny of you.¡± Xiaowan kicked him lightly. ¡°Should I joke with you by keying your car?¡±

    Chen Xin obediently replied, ¡°Sorry, I was wrong.¡±

    Huffing, Xiaowan turned and walked away, with Chen Xin hurrying after her.

    After they left, Leng Qing sat silently at the table for a long time before suddenly standing and striding out. His friends tried to follow, but he shook his head, refusing their company.

    He rode his motorcycle back to his studio near campus¡ªa dimly lit basement filled with clutter. Among the mess were motorcycle parts, daily necessities, and a tattered sofa bed.

    But most striking were the numerous stone sculptures of varying sizes and subjects, each exquisitely crafted.

    Leng Qing walked past them to a large sculpture draped in a dust cover. He yanked the cover off, revealing an unfinished piece of a woman playing the harp. Her long dress flowed as she sat with her fingers poised on the strings, her eyes gently closed as if lost in a dream.

    Leng Qing stared coldly at the sculpture for a while before grabbing a sledgehammer. Taking a deep breath, he raised it high and swung it down.

    A loud clang echoed, but the sculpture remained unscathed. The girl continued her dreamy performance, unbothered.

    Leng Qing looked at the small dent in the floor where the hammer had landed at the last moment, along with the surrounding dents from previous attempts. A twisted smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan¡­¡± he muttered through clenched teeth.

    But when he placed his hand on the sculpture¡¯s cheek, his touch was as tender as ever.

    Question

    ¡°Xiaowan, Xiaowan!¡± Chen Xin chased after Xiaowan, calling her name repeatedly. Finally, as they walked down a corridor, he managed to stop her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. From now on, no matter where you go, I¡¯ll follow you immediately. Is that okay?¡± Chen Xin said softly, trying to touch her face.

    Xiaowan swatted his hand away. ¡°If you dare to follow me, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled lightly and, ignoring her struggle, pulled her firmly into his arms. ¡°Go ahead and hit me. As long as it makes you happy, you can hit me however you want.¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself,¡± Xiaowan wasted no time and bit down hard on his hand, leaving a deep tooth mark.

    Chen Xin gasped in pain. Though it hurt, he didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, he gently caressed her face.

    Xiaowan, like an angry kitten soothed by a gentle touch, slowly calmed down. She let out a small whimper and leaned into his embrace.

    ¡°I hate you! Why didn¡¯t you chase after me when I left? You said you liked me, but it¡¯s all lies!¡± Xiaowan complained, her fingers digging into the muscles of his chest.

    Chen Xin endured the pain and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you. I just had some questions about you that I wanted to ask Leng Qing.¡±

    Xiaowan stomped on his foot. ¡°If it¡¯s about me, then come and ask me! Why would you ask him? Are you stupid?¡±

    ¡°I originally wanted to ask you, but Leng Qing told me that even if I asked, you wouldn¡¯t tell me the answers.¡± Chen Xin glanced at the girl in his arms, testing her reaction.

    Sure enough, Xiaowan froze. After a brief silence, she said, ¡°Fine. Let me hear what you want to ask first.¡±

    ¡°How did you and Leng Qing meet?¡±

    Xiaowan blinked, pretending to be nonchalant. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it? We met in a language class when we first came to the U.S. Then we ended up in the same high school and university. That¡¯s all.¡±

    So, they¡¯ve known each other for a long time. Chen Xin suppressed a small pang of jealousy and continued, ¡°And¡­ what about your family? I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but don¡¯t your parents care about you skipping school like this?¡±

    Xiaowan¡¯s expression darkened, and she responded in an icy tone, ¡°Oh, them? They¡¯ve all been dead for a long time.¡±

    Chen Xin froze. Before he could say anything, Xiaowan suddenly lifted her gaze and stared at him sharply. ¡°Chen Xin, Leng Qing was right. There are some questions you¡¯re not qualified to know the answers to yet. So please, don¡¯t ask further.¡±

    Xiaowan rarely called him by his full name so seriously. Normally, she would use a playful tone to call him ¡°Little Xin.¡± Chen Xin knew she was genuinely upset now.

    He realized he shouldn¡¯t pry into someone else¡¯s deeply buried wounds, but being shut out of her heart like this by the girl he loved still left him feeling dejected.

    Taking a deep breath, Chen Xin adjusted his emotions and hugged Xiaowan again. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore. You can tell me when you feel ready.¡±

    Xiaowan buried her face in his chest, mumbling, ¡°If you dare treat me like you did today again, don¡¯t even think about me telling you anything ever.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Chen Xin smiled. ¡°By the way, Leng Qing told me earlier that we wouldn¡¯t last more than three months together. He seemed pretty confident. So, tell me honestly, are you planning to dump me when the three months are up?¡±

    ¡°How could that be?¡± Xiaowan lifted her head from his chest and pinched his cheeks. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to catch someone as fun as you¡ªplus, you¡¯re still a virgin. At the very least, I¡¯d keep you around for four months before dumping you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    One Month Later

    Chen Xin had thought that, even if Xiaowan¡¯s interest in him wouldn¡¯t last forever, they would at least make it past three months. But only a little over a month in, countless issues had already arisen.

    The root of these problems lay in Xiaowan deliberately disrupting his original life trajectory.

    She was like a cat, gradually invading his life with a playful demeanor. At first, she only asked him to come home earlier each day. Once he managed that, she demanded he be home by 8 p.m. Chen Xin complied, but then it became a problem.

    If he was even one minute late, Xiaowan would angrily claw at his face and yell, ¡°I told you to be back by 8, and now it¡¯s 8:01! You liar!¡±

    Chen Xin could only try to appease her. Once she calmed down, she would come up with a new demand¡ªlike asking him to watch horror movies with her every night.

    Although Chen Xin explained that he had a lot of work to do in the evenings and couldn¡¯t possibly spend every night watching movies, Xiaowan ignored his reasoning completely, looking at him with big, pitiful eyes.

    In the end, Chen Xin gave in once more. Every night, Xiaowan would lounge comfortably on his lap, eating popcorn and watching movies, while Chen Xin, exhausted, balanced his laptop on the side, working and trying to keep track of the movie plot in case Xiaowan started a conversation about it.

    But none of this was the biggest issue.

    The real problem was that Chen Xin still wouldn¡¯t let Xiaowan sleep with him.

    At first, Xiaowan managed to hold back. But soon, her attempts grew increasingly audacious¡ªsneaking into his room at night, touching him during movies, and even barging into the bathroom while he was showering. It had taken all of Chen Xin¡¯s energy to get this little troublemaker to leave last time.

    Now, as Chen Xin stood at his doorstep, tired after a long day, he wondered what kind of mischief Xiaowan would come up with tonight.

    He glanced at his watch¡ª7:50. Good. He wasn¡¯t late today. His face would remain scratch-free.

    But as soon as he opened the door, he saw Aili standing in the hall with a worried expression. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Chen.¡±

    Chen Xin asked helplessly, ¡°What has she done this time?¡±

    Aili pointed toward the wine cellar. ¡°Your wine¡­¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s eyes widened, and he rushed to the cellar. Pushing the door open, he saw Xiao Wan sprawled on the floor with several empty wine bottles at her feet, her eyes glazed with drunkenness as she looked up at him.

    Clutching his chest in anguish, Chen Xin scanned the scene. His cherished Lafite, Petrus, and Mouton Rothschild¡ªwines he had treasured for nearly a decade without drinking¡ªwere now all gone, consumed in one sitting!

    The most heart-wrenching sight was Xiao Wan holding an unopened bottle of Roman¨¦e-Conti, the crown jewel of his collection. A priceless treasure that he had hoped to showcase as a masterpiece among connoisseurs, now at her mercy.

    Cautiously approaching her as if she were a thorny cat, Chen Xin whispered, ¡°Xiao Wan, we can talk this out. Just put the wine down, okay?¡±

    Xiao Wan hiccupped, pointed the bottle at him, and slurred, ¡°Let me sleep with you, and I¡¯ll give it back.¡±

    For a moment, Chen Xin regretted all he¡¯d done to make this woman fall for him. Was the price he paid too high?

    But before he could decide, Xiao Wan yanked out the cork without hesitation. The ¡°pop¡± was accompanied by his anguished cry¡ª

    ¡°Nooo!¡±

    Xiao Wan stuck out her tongue at him and took a big gulp. Smacking her lips, she shook her head. ¡°Meh, it¡¯s nothing special. Not as good as that $5 bottle from the supermarket.¡±

    Chen Xin clutched his chest in despair, stretching out a hand. ¡°If it¡¯s not good, just give it back to me!¡±

    At least let him taste it before she ruined it entirely!

    But Xiao Wan narrowed her eyes mischievously. Suddenly, she raised the bottle and poured the wine over herself. The red liquid trickled down her neck, soaking her white shirt, which clung to her body, revealing glimpses of soft, pale skin and a slender, delicate waist.

    Swaying unsteadily, Xiao Wan walked up to Chen Xin and, with a husky voice, said, ¡°You want a taste? Come on, it¡¯s all over me.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s chest heaved violently as he tried to restrain himself. Turning abruptly, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to run you a bath.¡±

    ¡°You jerk!¡± Xiao Wan stomped her foot in frustration and threw herself onto him like an octopus, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Gritting her teeth, she whispered into his ear, ¡°If I, Lin Xiaowan, don¡¯t sleep with you today, I¡¯ll take your last name!¡±

    No matter how much Chen Xin struggled, he couldn¡¯t shake her off. Left with no choice, he used a martial arts maneuver to free himself, spinning around and pinning her against the wine cellar wall.

    Staring at the suddenly dominant yet gentle man before her, Xiao Wan froze, thinking she¡¯d finally provoked him to anger. But to her surprise, he gently caressed her face and said softly, ¡°I won¡¯t let you sleep with me, but a kiss? That¡¯s negotiable. Want one?¡±

    Sniffling in mock grievance, Xiao Wan said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled, leaned in, and kissed her. He held her tightly, stroking her back reassuringly as she melted into his embrace like a docile kitten.

    When they parted, Chen Xin licked his lips, tasting the lingering wine. With a sigh, he said, ¡°Such a fine wine, and I didn¡¯t even get a proper sip. You¡¯re so cruel.¡±

    Twisting her hips, Xiao Wan teased, ¡°You can still drink it¡ªit¡¯s all over me.¡±

    Shaking his head in defeat, Chen Xin carried her toward the bedroom. ¡°No more of this, okay? Even if it¡¯s not cold at home, you can¡¯t pour wine on yourself. What if you catch a cold in the middle of winter?¡±

    Xiao Wan stared at him intently. ¡°So I¡¯m more important than your wine?¡±

    Chen Xin glanced at her and said, ¡°What else, silly?¡±

    Xiao Wan was silent for a moment before suddenly grabbing at his shirt, growling, ¡°I¡¯m going to eat you alive right now!¡±

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan!¡±

    Their days passed in this constant push-and-pull over whether or not they would ¡°sleep together.¡± A week later, Chen Xin remembered the company¡¯s quarterly ¡°Employee Family Fun Day¡± was approaching.

    As the name suggested, this event was a company-sponsored day of fun for employees and their families, complete with food, games, and activities. It was designed to foster camaraderie and attract top talent, making it a beloved tradition.

    Most employees brought their spouses and children. Since this was Chen Xin¡¯s first time participating, he wanted Xiao Wan to come along.

    However, when he brought it up to her, she immediately turned him down with a disgusted expression. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°Xiao Wan, I know you might worry about what people at the company think of you, but I promise I won¡¯t let anyone say anything hurtful. I just want them to see how wonderful you really are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who cares what they think!¡± Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. ¡°I have my own reasons for not going.¡±

    ¡°What reasons? Tell me, and I¡¯ll see if I can help.¡± Chen Xin hugged her.

    ¡°You can¡¯t solve this one,¡± Xiao Wan said dryly. ¡°Family events are full of kids, right? Unfortunately, I hate children¡ªespecially little boys. So unless you want me to smack a bunch of kids, don¡¯t make me go.¡±

    ¡°You hate kids?¡± Chen Xin was stunned.

    ¡°Of course! Someone like me, who drinks and smokes, obviously only loves money.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense about yourself,¡± Chen Xin said, pinching her cheek. But he frowned. ¡°I was hoping to have lots of kids with you after we got married. What should I do now?¡±

    ¡°Go have them with yourself!¡± Xiao Wan huffed, shoving him away. ¡°I hate kids and will never have any in this lifetime. Give up already! And who¡¯s marrying you, anyway? Dream on!¡±

    With that, she stormed off.

    Chen Xin refused to give up. Catching her on the couch watching a horror movie, he hugged her and said, ¡°Just this once, okay? I¡¯ve always been alone, and now that I have you, don¡¯t you feel bad leaving me by myself when everyone else has their families with them? Besides, there will be lots of delicious food you¡¯ll love.¡±

    Glaring at him, Xiao Wan finally relented. ¡°Fine! But you¡¯re not allowed to bother me while I¡¯m there. I just want to play my games in peace!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say.¡±

    Chen Xin breathed a sigh of relief. More than anything, he hoped the event would help Xiao Wan connect with others and shed some of her hostility toward the world.

    Three days later, they arrived at a massive indoor family amusement park for the event. Xiao Wan, wearing a cream-colored dress and seven-centimeter black heels, reluctantly clung to Chen Xin¡¯s arm as they entered.

    The cacophony of children¡¯s laughter and shrieks assaulted her ears. She turned to leave. ¡°This is unbearable! I told you I didn¡¯t want to come!¡±

    Chen Xin quickly blocked her way, but before he could say anything, a familiar voice called out, ¡°Chen Xin, why are you so late?¡±

    Turning, Xiao Wan saw it was Chen Xin¡¯s friend Ye Chen.

    She stomped on Chen Xin¡¯s foot. ¡°Why is he here? He doesn¡¯t even work at your company!¡±

    Before Chen Xin could respond, Ye Chen smirked. ¡°I¡¯m his best buddy. Why wouldn¡¯t I be here?¡±

    Xiao Wan snorted and gave him an innocent smile. ¡°Because I was worried your face would scare the kids. Just because your hair grew back doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re any less ugly.¡±

    ¡°You dare bring that up!¡± Ye Chen roared.

    ¡°Oh, not only will I bring it up, I might just ¡®accidentally¡¯ burn it off again. Want to test me?¡±

    The two glared daggers at each other, neither backing down.

    Chen Xin sighed helplessly. He knew he couldn¡¯t stop this argument now.

 19.Confusion

    Actually, over the past month, Ye Chen and Lin Xiaowan hadn¡¯t met at all. But that didn¡¯t stop the two from bickering on Instagram.

    Ever since Xiaowan moved into Chen Xin¡¯s house, she¡¯d been posting random selfies every day with a number caption. As the days went by, the number increased. Fans quickly noticed this and started commenting, asking what the number meant.

    Xiaowan bluntly replied, ¡°The number of days Chen Xiaogui hasn¡¯t let me sleep with him.¡±

    Her fans were instantly thrilled, bombarding her with questions: ¡°Kitty¡¯s got a new target? Who¡¯s Chen Xiaogui? Share his photo!¡±

    Xiaowan cheekily replied, ¡°I¡¯ll post his pic once I¡¯ve slept with him. I¡¯d love to share a nude, but he won¡¯t let me.¡±

    This caught Ye Chen¡¯s attention, leading to an epic Instagram showdown where Ye Chen was utterly defeated. From that day on, Ye Chen made it his daily mission to reply to Xiaowan¡¯s posts, refusing to back down until he could out-argue her.

    For instance, a few days ago, Xiaowan posted a picture of the platinum Himalayan bag Chen Xin had given her, captioned: ¡°It¡¯s been 30 days, and Chen Xiaogui still won¡¯t let me sleep with him. Feeling blue and bummed! If this keeps up, I might just smash his wine cellar.¡±

    While her fans fawned over the luxurious bag, Ye Chen popped up with a simple, ¡°Idiot.¡±

    Xiaowan immediately shot back: ¡°Takes one to know one.¡±

    Ye Chen: ¡°Damn it, are you in kindergarten, playing that ¡®I know you are but what am I¡¯ game? So childish.¡±

    Xiaowan: ¡°I think someone who obsessively trolls my Instagram daily is way more childish and idiotic.¡±

    Ye Chen: ¡°Say that again, I dare you!¡±

    Xiaowan: ¡°Idiot, jerk, moron, sucker. I¡¯m feeling generous, buy one insult, get three free.¡±

    Ye Chen: ¡°Lin Xiaowan, you¡ª¡±

    Xiaowan: ¡°Dead. Feel free to dig her up and find her.¡±

    Before Ye Chen could retort, Xiaowan¡¯s fans rallied against him, forcing him to retreat. This scenario played out daily. At first, Chen Xin tried to mediate, but when it became clear his efforts were futile, he gave up.

    Today, Chen Xin had invited Ye Chen to join the company outing, hoping to ease the tension between the two. But seeing how they were already squaring off, he instantly regretted it.

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan, listen up! Chen Xin and I have been friends since we were kids. I won¡¯t let someone like you ruin his life!¡± Ye Chen fumed.

    ¡°Wow, since you were in open-crotch pants? So impressive.¡± Xiaowan drawled sarcastically. ¡°Well, I touched his bare body three days after meeting him. Guess I¡¯m more impressive, huh?¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s face turned beet red. Xiaowan continued, ¡°Oh, and last time when I accidentally kicked you there, I could tell it¡¯s probably the same size as it was back when you were wearing open-crotch pants.¡±

    As she spoke, she extended her pinky finger and wagged it toward Ye Chen¡¯s pants.

    The blatant attack on his manhood made Ye Chen explode. He lunged forward, ready to fight, but Chen Xin quickly held him back. ¡°Okay, enough! You go inside first.¡±

    As Chen Xin forcibly dragged Ye Chen into the venue, Ye Chen shouted back, ¡°You just wait! This isn¡¯t over!¡±

    Xiaowan cupped her hands around her mouth and called out mockingly, ¡°Waiting, Mr. Open-Crotch Pants!¡±

    It took all of Chen Xin¡¯s energy to calm Ye Chen down. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he went back to Xiaowan, sighing, ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°What? You know he started it on Instagram!¡± Xiaowan pouted. ¡°I was just defending myself.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Chen Xin conceded, leading her inside. ¡°Forget about it. There¡¯s a lot of good food over there. Let me get you some, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Xiaowan¡¯s mood brightened at the mention of food. She loaded her plate with cakes and fruit, then retreated to a quiet corner with her iPad. ¡°I¡¯m playing games now. Call me when it¡¯s time to leave,¡± she told Chen Xin.

    Chen Xin had no choice but to agree. Not far away, several senior managers were calling him over. He kissed Xiaowan and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to chat with them for a bit. Be good and don¡¯t stir up trouble with Ye Chen, okay?¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Xiaowan waved Chen Xin off. After he walked away, she glanced around and noticed Ye Chen holding a girl close by the buffet table. The girl was clinging to him, saying something ingratiating, but Ye Chen only had eyes for Xiaowan, glaring daggers in her direction.

    Xiaowan casually flipped him off and went back to her game. Her peace didn¡¯t last long, though, as the children brought by the employees soon spotted her.

    Two white boys, around seven or eight years old, noticed her iPad and ran over to snatch it from her hands, yelling, ¡°iPad! I want to play games!¡±

    Startled, Xiaowan quickly grabbed the iPad back. She glared at them coldly. ¡°Did you eat your manners for breakfast? Is that how you borrow things¡ªby grabbing them?¡±

    The boys were unfazed and smugly replied, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? You¡¯re so stingy!¡±

    ¡°If you won¡¯t let us play, we¡¯ll tell our dad! He¡¯s a manager here, and everyone listens to him!¡±

    Xiaowan sneered and went back to her game. ¡°Go ahead, tell him.¡±

    The two boys exchanged glances before bursting into tears and running to their mother, who was standing not far away. They cried loudly while pointing at Xiaowan, ¡°Mommy, that lady won¡¯t let us play on her iPad! You have to tell Dad to fire her!¡±

    Their mother, seeing her sons in tears, marched over angrily and confronted Xiaowan. ¡°Excuse me, my boys just wanted to play with your iPad. You could have refused nicely, but making them cry? You¡¯re an adult¡ªdon¡¯t you think it¡¯s petty to argue with children?¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Xiaowan paused her game and looked at the woman coldly. ¡°Like mother, like sons. Why don¡¯t you ask how they ¡®borrowed¡¯ my iPad in the first place? They didn¡¯t even ask¡ªthey just grabbed it. Is this the kind of upbringing you¡¯re proud of?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª!¡± The mother was caught off guard by Xiaowan¡¯s assertiveness and raised her voice. ¡°They¡¯re just kids! They don¡¯t know any better. How dare you speak to them like that? Looking at your fancy clothes, it¡¯s clear you¡¯ve never been a mother or had any sense of responsibility. What gives you the right to lecture me?¡±

    Xiaowan slammed her iPad onto the couch, stood up, and glared at the woman. ¡°I may not be a mother, but I know a mother shouldn¡¯t behave like you! What, you think giving birth to two sons makes you queen of the world?¡±

    Before the mother could respond, her husband, the boys¡¯ father, hurried over. Seeing Xiaowan, he immediately pulled his wife back. ¡°Stop it, don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°But she made our boys cry! Isn¡¯t she one of your employees? She should be fired!¡±

    The man whispered urgently, ¡°Drop it! That¡¯s the boss¡¯s girlfriend. You don¡¯t want to mess with her¡­¡±

    Reluctantly, the mother retreated with her husband and children. Xiaowan sat back down, grumbling as she tapped at her game to vent her frustration. However, it wasn¡¯t long before another child approached her.

    This time, it was a little blonde girl with big green eyes. She looked at Xiaowan curiously and said, ¡°Sister¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lending my iPad. Stay away. I don¡¯t like kids,¡± Xiaowan interrupted bluntly.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The girl obediently stepped back and said softly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to borrow it. I just think you¡¯re really pretty.¡±

    Xiaowan was taken aback and looked at the girl¡¯s innocent face. With a sigh, she said, ¡°Being too pretty isn¡¯t always a good thing. Focus on your studies. That¡¯s the most useful thing.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Okay,¡± the girl nodded. ¡°Sister, do you like chocolate? I just got some from the table. There¡¯s only one piece left, but you can have it.¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at the chocolate in her small hand. The girl clearly wanted it herself but was offering it anyway. Feeling conflicted, Xiaowan patted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want it. You eat it. Go play with the other kids.¡±

    Just as she spoke, a man¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Jenny! Where did you run off to?¡±

    The little girl responded, ¡°Daddy! I¡¯m here!¡±

    A man pushed through the crowd and came over. Xiaowan recognized him¡ªit was Harold, the product manager she had argued with in Chen Xin¡¯s office.

    When their eyes met, both turned away awkwardly. Harold picked up his daughter. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go play over there.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but Daddy, that sister is so pretty. She looks like a movie star!¡±

    Harold gave a perfunctory reply and quickly walked away with his daughter.

    Xiaowan soon forgot about the incident and resumed her game. About half an hour later, she got up to use the restroom. As she neared the women¡¯s restroom, she overheard voices from the men¡¯s restroom next door.

    ¡°Why did you call me here? Daddy said girls should use the girls¡¯ bathroom,¡± came Jenny¡¯s soft voice.

    ¡°Do you want chocolate? We still have some,¡± said a boy.

    ¡°Sure, can I have it?¡±

    ¡°You can, but only if you lift your shirt and show us your chest.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a chest?¡± Jenny asked, confused.

    The boys giggled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. Just lift your shirt, and the chocolate¡¯s yours.¡±

    Xiaowan kicked the men¡¯s restroom door open and saw Jenny cornered by the two boys who had taken her iPad earlier. She immediately grabbed the boys by their collars, tossed them out, and stood protectively in front of Jenny.

    ¡°Who taught you to do this?¡± Xiaowan glared at them.

    The boys shouted back, ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Get lost, or we¡¯ll have our dad punish you!¡±

    Xiaowan sneered. ¡°Let me teach you a lesson first! If you¡¯re pulling this kind of stunt now, are you planning to become criminals when you grow up?¡±

    As she stepped closer, the boys yelled, ¡°Our mom said you¡¯re just a cheap slut who earns money by spreading your legs!¡±

    Xiaowan froze for two seconds before slapping both boys hard across the face.

    They burst into tears, while Jenny, frightened, began crying as well. Xiaowan turned to comfort Jenny, but the commotion drew the parents over. Harold rushed in first, saw his daughter crying, and furiously pushed Xiaowan to the ground. ¡°Are you insane? If you have a problem with me, take it out on me, not my kid!¡±

    Jenny cried even harder at her father¡¯s outburst. Harold picked her up and stormed out.

    The boys¡¯ mother then arrived, saw her sons¡¯ tear-streaked faces, and screamed at Xiaowan, ¡°You hit my kids, you whore!¡±

    Xiaowan laughed coldly. ¡°Kids like yours? I¡¯ll hit them every time I see them.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The woman raised her hand to slap Xiaowan, but Chen Xin arrived just in time to intercept her.

    ¡°Everyone, calm down,¡± he said sternly. ¡°This is a family event. Let¡¯s not turn it into chaos.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the one causing chaos!¡± the woman shrieked. ¡°Chen, how can you associate with someone like her?¡±

    ¡°My personal life is none of your concern,¡± Chen Xin replied calmly. ¡°As for what happened, I¡¯ll investigate and address it appropriately. For now, please take your children to treat their injuries.¡±

    The woman reluctantly left, and the crowd dispersed. Left alone in the restroom, Chen Xin helped Xiaowan up. Noticing her scraped knee, he gently cleaned the wound. ¡°Before I came in, Harold said you bullied his daughter. Is that true?¡±

    Xiaowan bit her lip, staying silent.

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Please, tell me what happened. Everyone saw three kids crying. Did you really hit them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I hit them! So what?¡± Xiaowan suddenly shouted. ¡°I told you I hate kids, but you insisted I come here. So I hit them to get back at you! Happy now?¡±

    She shoved him away and ran out, tears streaming down her face.

    ¡°Xiaowan!¡± Chen Xin called after her, but the boys¡¯ mother stopped him, demanding an immediate resolution. With the employees watching, Chen Xin had no choice but to handle the situation professionally.

    What no one knew was that someone else had witnessed everything in the men¡¯s restroom.

    Ye Chen stepped out of a stall, his expression complicated as he stared at the chocolates scattered on the floor. After a moment, he turned and walked away.

    [Necklace]

    When Chen Xin got home, it was already evening. The mother of the two boys had caused a scene earlier, tearfully accusing Lin Xiaowan in front of their colleagues and demanding compensation. However, Chen Xin insisted on having the boys recount what had happened. The mother, seemingly evasive and hesitant, finally agreed to speak up after persuasion from her husband and other senior staff.

    She claimed the boys only asked to borrow Lin Xiaowan¡¯s iPad, and when she refused, she allegedly slapped them out of anger.

    Chen Xin caught the flaw in her story and asked, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why was Harold¡¯s daughter, Jenny, also present?¡±

    The woman immediately replied, ¡°How would I know? Maybe she asked your gold-digging girlfriend for something too, and when she refused, she got slapped as well!¡±

    Chen Xin, holding back his frustration, said calmly, ¡°Whether or not my girlfriend hit your children, and regardless of her reasons, I hope you refrain from making baseless claims until the truth is uncovered. Also, please don¡¯t call her a gold-digger.¡±

    Unwilling to let the matter rest, the woman demanded compensation, claiming her sons had suffered concussions. Chen Xin, nodding, replied, ¡°If your children are truly injured and it¡¯s our fault, I will absolutely compensate you. But since you¡¯ve brought it up, perhaps we should involve the police. This is a matter involving potential harm and compensation. The police can investigate, access surveillance footage, and gather testimonies. What do you think?¡±

    Hearing the mention of police involvement, the woman quickly backed down, her husband stepping in to smooth things over. They grumbled a bit more before leaving with their children.

    Initially, Chen Xin had some doubts about whether Lin Xiaowan had lost her temper and hurt the children. But the parents¡¯ evasive behavior strengthened his suspicion that there was more to the story.

    He reassured his employees that he would thoroughly investigate and resolve the matter while ensuring such incidents wouldn¡¯t happen at future family events. After hours of damage control, Chen Xin finally headed home, exhausted.

    On the way, he called Harold to ask about Jenny, but Harold said she was too shaken and had been crying since they got home. Chen Xin decided not to press further at that moment.

    Now, as he approached his own front door, he took a deep breath, checked his watch, and entered the house.

    Aunt Ellie, the housekeeper, greeted him nervously. ¡°Miss Lin is back, but she seems upset. She¡¯s in the garden playing with the dogs.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Chen Xin quickly made his way to the garden, where he found Xiaowan crouched on the ground, hugging her knees. The three dogs lay obediently in front of her, wagging their tails as if trying to comfort her. But she just sat there, silent and still.

    The sight of her loneliness made Chen Xin¡¯s heart ache. He walked over and gently hugged her from behind, speaking softly, ¡°I came home at 6:30, just like I said. Wasn¡¯t I good?¡±

    He felt her body tense for a moment, but she didn¡¯t respond.

    With a sigh, he stroked her hair and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to go to the family event when I knew you don¡¯t like children. I promise I won¡¯t make you do things you don¡¯t want to anymore, okay?¡±

    Xiaowan finally nodded faintly.

    Sensing a glimmer of hope, Chen Xin continued, ¡°Can you tell me why all three kids were crying in the bathroom? I need to know the truth to handle this situation properly. I hope you can understand.¡±

    Xiaowan turned her head and stared at him coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already ask that woman?¡±

    She was referring to the boys¡¯ mother. Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t really believe¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Xiaowan cut him off sharply. ¡°If you¡¯ve already asked her, why bother asking me? Whatever she said, just go with that! You wouldn¡¯t believe me anyway!¡±

    ¡°How do you know I wouldn¡¯t believe you? You haven¡¯t even told me yet!¡±

    Her eyes reddened as she glared at him. ¡°If you trusted me, why didn¡¯t you come to me first? Why didn¡¯t you stop me when I left? Do you know how long I waited for you, crouched

    Translation:

    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chen Xin wanted to help, but Xiao Wan pushed him away, frantically searching on the sink. Not finding what she was looking for, she suddenly rushed out of the room.

    Chen Xin hesitated for a moment and followed her downstairs. He saw the Himalayan bag he had gifted her casually thrown on the floor. With a sigh, he walked outside, watching Xiao Wan rummaging around the garden like she¡¯d lost her mind, clearly searching for her necklace.

    Chen Xin could roughly guess what kind of necklace it was¡ªa platinum one with a delicate crescent moon pendant. He had noticed it on her neck not long after she moved in. She seemed to treasure it, even clutching the pendant in her sleep. Once, after they kissed, Chen Xin had tried to get a closer look at the necklace, only to be met with a sharp glare.

    ¡°My necklace is gone! Ellie! Did you see my necklace? The one with the crescent moon pendant!¡± Xiao Wan was panicking and shouted at the maid.

    Ellie quickly replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it, Miss. Please don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you look for it.¡±

    Chen Xin, his face dark, walked to the entrance of the garden. When Xiao Wan saw him, she immediately shouted, ¡°What are you standing there for? Help me look for it!¡±

    But Chen Xin didn¡¯t move. Instead, he asked a question he would later deeply regret: ¡°Which ex-boyfriend gave you that necklace?¡±

    Xiao Wan froze mid-search. She lifted her head, looking at him with disbelief. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I asked you, which ex-boyfriend gave you that necklace?¡± Chen Xin clenched his fists. ¡°To make you cherish it so much, like losing it means losing your soul?¡±

    Her expression shifted from shock and hurt to indifference. She lowered her head and resumed searching, treating Chen Xin like he didn¡¯t exist.

    Her reaction only made Chen Xin angrier. He took a few steps closer, his voice trembling with rage. ¡°Lin Xiao Wan, I¡¯ve given you so many things. Why haven¡¯t I ever seen you treat them like this? You gave the shoes I bought you to the dogs as toys. You throw the bags I gift you on the floor. What do I even mean to you?¡±

    Xiao Wan suddenly stood up, a mocking, innocent smile on her face. ¡°What do you mean? A toy, of course. Didn¡¯t I already tell you? Four months, and I¡¯ll definitely dump you. Did you think you were some priceless treasure?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°What about me? You¡¯re the one who said you could accept me as I am. You¡¯re the one who let me move in. You said you didn¡¯t care how many boyfriends I¡¯d had. But look at you now! Couldn¡¯t even keep up the act for long, could you? I¡¯ve figured you men out. Sweet words mean nothing. Deep down, you¡¯re no different from those boys¡¯ mother, aren¡¯t you? You probably think I make my living lying on my back!¡±

    Chen Xin panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡ª¡±

    ¡°But the way you¡¯re acting shows that¡¯s exactly what you think!¡± Xiao Wan screamed hoarsely, then turned and bolted.

    She ran to the Ferrari he had bought her, started the car, and said to him as he chased her, ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t cherish the things you give me at all!¡±

    Then she slammed the gas pedal, crashing the car into the stone fountain in the garden. She reversed abruptly, smashing open the villa gates before speeding away.

    Chen Xin stood amidst the villa¡¯s blaring alarm, sighed deeply, and buried his face in his hands.

    At Harold¡¯s House

    After an afternoon of comforting, Jenny finally stopped crying. Harold and his wife, Amanda, breathed a sigh of relief. To cheer their daughter up, Amanda had even bought her chocolates she normally wasn¡¯t allowed to eat much of.

    Jenny sat on the couch, watching cartoons and nibbling on chocolates, while Harold and Amanda prepared dinner in the kitchen. Harold couldn¡¯t help grumbling to his wife, ¡°I told Chen not to date a woman like her, but he wouldn¡¯t listen! Look at the mess she¡¯s caused now!¡±

    Amanda, more composed, replied, ¡°The truth isn¡¯t clear yet. I know that woman doesn¡¯t have a great reputation among your colleagues, but¡­ I still don¡¯t think she¡¯d hit our daughter for no reason.¡±

    ¡°¡®No reason¡¯? She¡¯s doing it to get back at me! Because I tried to talk her out of hurting Chen!¡± Harold fumed.

    ¡°Alright, enough. Just help me carry the pasta out, and tell Jenny to stop eating chocolates and come eat dinner.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Harold carried the plates out and saw his son already seated at the table. He walked to the couch to call Jenny. ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s dinnertime.¡±

    Unexpectedly, Jenny looked up and curiously asked him, ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s a ¡®boob¡¯?¡±

    Harold froze, and Amanda, who had just stepped out of the kitchen, widened her eyes in panic, rushing over. ¡°Sweetie, what did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I asked Daddy, what¡¯s a ¡®boob¡¯?¡±

    Harold¡¯s suppressed anger immediately reignited. He demanded, ¡°Did that woman who hit you teach you this? Did she?¡±

    ¡°No, the pretty lady didn¡¯t teach me that,¡± Jenny quickly shook her head and nervously explained, ¡°At the playground this afternoon, those two boys took me to the men¡¯s restroom and said if I showed them my boobs, they¡¯d give me chocolate. Then the pretty lady rushed in and said they were being bad. The boys called her a bad word, and that¡¯s when she hit them. Daddy, are ¡®boob¡¯ and that bad word very bad things?¡±

    Harold and Amanda stood frozen in shock, too stunned to say a word.

    Seeing her father¡¯s expression, Jenny¡¯s eyes reddened again. She sniffled, ¡°Did I do something wrong? I actually wanted to tell you then that the pretty lady didn¡¯t hit me. But¡­ but there were so many people, and you were so angry. I got scared, so I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m sorry, Daddy. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    Harold snapped out of it, pulled his daughter into his arms, and gently patted her back, his expression complicated. He comforted her, ¡°No, sweetie, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You don¡¯t need to apologize. The one who should apologize¡­ is Daddy.¡±

 20.Disturbance

    At night, Leng Qing sat alone in his studio, facing an unfinished stone sculpture. At his feet lay a soda can full of cigarette butts, and he held a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers.

    Slender trails of smoke curled upward from the glowing tip, passing over his face, closed in deep thought, before spiraling around the dim ceiling lamp above him like an inextricable dark cloud.

    Leng Qing maintained his contemplative pose for several minutes before abruptly opening his eyes. He took one final drag from his cigarette, tossed the butt into the soda can, and picked up the smallest carving knife from his toolbox. Standing before the massive sculpture, he brought the blade down on its face with swift and fierce strokes.

    If someone had been watching, they would have assumed his movements would ruin the beautiful piece. However, when Leng Qing finally put the knife down, the girl¡¯s face on the sculpture remained unmarred. Not only that, but her features had gained even more detail.

    She now had two rows of finely carved eyelashes. They were so delicate they resembled real ones, and though the girl¡¯s eyes were closed, the lifelike texture of her lashes gave the impression they were gently trembling. This subtle detail brought her face to life, making it more vivid and lively, as if she were sitting before Leng Qing, playing a beautiful melody.

    He let out a sigh of relief, set down the carving knife, and picked up a small brush to clear the fine stone dust from her face. Just as he was about to begin, a loud ¡°bang, bang, bang¡± came from the door.

    Frowning, he carefully covered the sculpture with a dust cloth before walking to the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± he asked.

    A weak voice from outside answered, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    Leng Qing closed his eyes briefly before opening the door. Just moments ago, he had poured all his emotions into the stone sculpture of Lin Xiaowan. Yet, when faced with the real person standing before him, his expression turned cold. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Xiaowan didn¡¯t answer. She lowered her head and walked slowly into the room.

    Leng Qing suddenly felt a surge of irritation. Lighting a cigarette, he took a deep drag, turned his back to her, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t come running to me every time you get hurt by some man. This isn¡¯t a trash recycling station.¡±

    But Xiaowan, unlike usual, didn¡¯t retort with her sharp tongue.

    Sensing something was off, Leng Qing turned to her abruptly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xiaowan crouched down slowly, burying her face in her knees. In a soft, trembling voice, she said, ¡°I lost my necklace.¡±

    Leng Qing immediately understood the gravity of the situation. His eyes widened slightly. ¡°Where did you lose it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xiaowan¡¯s voice choked with sobs. ¡°Last night, I was holding onto the pendant when I went to sleep. Today, I went out with Chen Xin, and when I came back, it was gone. I have no idea where I lost it. Leng Qing, what do I do? I can¡¯t find my necklace¡­¡±

    She finally broke down in tears.

    Lin Xiaowan rarely cried. Leng Qing knew that she always tried to maintain a bright and carefree demeanor, because so many people looked up to her as their angel and source of strength¡ªpeople like Ma Qi, and even Leng Qing himself. She felt she couldn¡¯t cry. After all, if the angel lighting up your life started crying, what hope would you have to go on?

    Leng Qing could no longer bear to maintain his cold demeanor. He crouched down and gently embraced her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a necklace. Even if it¡¯s lost, the feelings you have for your grandmother won¡¯t change, right?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but it was her gift for my eighteenth birthday¡­¡± Xiaowan sobbed uncontrollably. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I have left from her, and I lost it¡­ Leng Qing, I feel so useless. I really¡­ I really don¡¯t want to keep going. Maybe if I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say something so foolish.¡± Leng Qing immediately covered her mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t your grandmother tell you something before she passed away? And didn¡¯t she give you that necklace for a reason? If she¡¯s watching you from above, she wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this, not over a necklace.¡±

    Xiaowan quickly stopped crying and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Grandma wouldn¡¯t want to see me like this.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. She wanted you to live happily and to show the world your talent with the harp,¡± Leng Qing said, gently patting her back to comfort her. ¡°So you need to try to be happy, right?¡±

    Xiaowan nodded firmly.

    ¡°Alright, stop sitting on the floor. Come on.¡± Leng Qing led her to the sofa bed where he slept. ¡°Rest here for a while. I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    Xiaowan grabbed his hand pitifully and said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Don¡¯t leave me. I¡¯ll get scared if I¡¯m alone.¡±

    Leng Qing stroked her face. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±

    He sat down beside her, and Xiaowan immediately leaned into his arms, clutching his stone-dust-covered shirt as if it were her lifeline.

    Leng Qing gently stroked her hair, momentarily feeling as though they had gone back to when they were nineteen. The day Xiaowan¡¯s grandmother passed away, she had been just as tearful and vulnerable, curled up in his arms. It had made him feel like a man, like he had to take responsibility for her life.

    They stayed like that for a long, long time before Leng Qing finally asked, ¡°And Chen Xin? Done playing around with him?¡±

    ¡°Done,¡± Xiaowan replied hoarsely. ¡°I thought he¡¯d be different, but he wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Leng Qing suddenly wanted to ask her, What about me? Am I different from them? If I am, then why, after all this time, won¡¯t you take a proper look at me?

    But as he gazed at the redness around her eyes, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask. Forget it. Let her rest well tonight.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡¤¡¤</li>

    </ul>

    Lin Xiaowan didn¡¯t return home that night, while Chen Xin spent a sleepless night overwhelmed with work. The mother of those two children seemed intent on extorting the company over the incident, demanding compensation of half a million U.S. dollars and six months of paid leave for her husband every year. Chen Xin spent the entire night discussing how to handle the situation with the lawyers.

    He could have taken some time to look for Lin Xiaowan, but his anger hadn¡¯t yet dissipated. Instead, he threw himself into his work, using it as a way to avoid thinking about her.

    Deep down, he felt wronged. Over the past two months, he¡¯d done everything he could to treat her well. He thought that, even if she was once a carefree girl who loved no one, his patience and effort would eventually touch her.

    And yet, what was the result? No matter how much he gave, it couldn¡¯t compare to a necklace given by some other man.

    As he thought about this, Chen Xin slammed his hand against the steering wheel, barely avoiding a collision with the Bugatti parked in front of the company as he pulled in.

    Isn¡¯t that Ye Chen¡¯s car? What¡¯s he doing here?

    Chen Xin got out of his car just as Ye Chen stepped out of his.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    Ye Chen¡¯s expression was complicated. ¡°I heard the wife of one of your employees is making a big fuss. I came to see if I could help.¡±

    Chen Xin sighed. ¡°Thanks, but if what she says is true, I¡¯ll compensate her. After all, Xiaowan did hit her child.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Let¡¯s see what the mother says today.¡± Surprisingly, Ye Chen didn¡¯t take the opportunity to sow discord between Chen Xin and Xiaowan. Instead, he turned and walked into the company.

    Chen Xin found this odd but didn¡¯t dwell on it. When he entered the company, he saw the mother had already arrived with her two children, accompanied by her husband, who worked as the company¡¯s purchasing manager. Chen Xin¡¯s lawyer was also present. Just as Chen Xin was about to approach them, Harold stopped him.

    ¡°Chen, I need to talk to you,¡± Harold said.

    ¡°I need to deal with yesterday¡¯s issue first. That mother is pressing for a resolution. Can we talk later¡ª¡±

    ¡°What I need to say is about yesterday¡¯s incident,¡± Harold replied. ¡°Bring the company lawyer to my office. Things aren¡¯t as she claims.¡±

    Chen Xin froze for a moment. Without betraying any emotion, he headed to Harold¡¯s office with the lawyer. Upon entering, he noticed Harold had brought his daughter, Jenny, who was sitting nearby with headphones on, listening to music.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chen Xin¡¯s suspicion grew.

    Harold began, ¡°Jenny has told me everything. Let me recount what actually happened yesterday¡­¡±

    Ten minutes later, Chen Xin struggled to suppress his anger and turned to the lawyer. ¡°Can what he just said help us defuse this crisis?¡±

    The lawyer adjusted his glasses. ¡°We¡¯ll still need to compensate the other party, as physical harm was involved. However, if it¡¯s true that her two sons tried to harass Mr. Harold¡¯s daughter and Miss Lin stepped in to protect her, we could argue that the mother¡¯s lack of discipline is a factor. This might persuade her to reduce her excessive demands. But¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it. The surveillance footage from the scene has no audio, so it can¡¯t fully corroborate Mr. Harold¡¯s account.¡±

    ¡°What if someone recorded the audio?¡± Ye Chen, who had been leaning against the door silently, suddenly spoke.

    Everyone turned to look at him.

    ¡°Audio recording? Who has it?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    ¡°I do,¡± Ye Chen said. ¡°I was in the restroom at the time and recorded the entire incident.¡±

    Chen Xin was stunned, while the lawyer immediately responded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it simplifies matters. Mr. Chen, leave the negotiation to me. I know what to do.¡±

    Chen Xin nodded. The group headed out, and the lawyer explained the situation to the mother. Initially, she tried to deny the claims, but when she heard Ye Chen had a recording, she immediately backed down.

    In the end, they reached a settlement. Furious, the woman dragged her sons out of the building, turning back to yell at Chen Xin, ¡°You¡¯re protecting your gold-digging girlfriend! Karma will get you!¡±

    Chen Xin replied sternly, ¡°I¡¯m not protecting anyone. I¡¯ve provided the necessary compensation. On the contrary, your two sons are already harassing girls at such a young age. Perhaps you should reflect on your parenting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just your side of the story! My sons would never do something like that. I¡¯ve raised them strictly!¡±

    As soon as she said this, Jenny emerged from Harold¡¯s office. Seeing her, the two boys shouted, ¡°Jenny, we gave you all our chocolates! Show us your boobs already!¡±

    The employees who had been watching the commotion burst into laughter. One of them rolled their eyes and said, ¡°Wow, so this is the result of strict parenting? Amazing.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± The woman was fuming. Unable to contain herself, she revealed her true colors and pointed at Chen Xin. ¡°I told my husband long ago not to work for a company run by Asians like you. You¡¯re all scheming and manipulative, and your girlfriend is nothing but a gold digger who spreads her legs for money! You¡¯re just too stupid to see it!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Harold stepped forward, blocking her path. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±

    The lawyer added, ¡°Ma¡¯am, your remarks constitute racial discrimination and defamation. If Mr. Chen decides to pursue this, I can assist him in filing a compensation claim against you right now.¡±

    The woman¡¯s husband, terrified, apologized repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not managing my wife and kids better. Please forgive us¡­¡±

    Chen Xin held back his anger and shook his head. The main issue had been resolved, and he planned to address the boys¡¯ behavior privately. He said, ¡°Fine. Just make sure to discipline your children in the future. Your family will not be invited to any more company events.¡±

    The man quickly escorted his wife and unruly sons out of the building.

    With the matter finally settled, Harold addressed the remaining employees, ¡°Alright, back to work. There¡¯s nothing more to see.¡±

    Chen Xin patted Harold on the shoulder. ¡°Harold, thank you for today.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. If anything, I should thank you¡­ and Lin Xiaowan.¡± Harold looked at him with a mix of gratitude and guilt. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her, my daughter might have been¡­ and yet, I wrongly accused her. Chen, I truly owe her an apology. Could you give me a chance to apologize to her in person?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Provided¡­ he could find her again.

 21.Forgive

    The next morning, Maggie was sitting alone at the tunnel entrance, yawning while counting the money their band had earned the day before. Suddenly, a pair of custom-made black Silvano Lattanzi shoes stopped in front of her.

    She looked up, a hint of surprise flashing across her face. ¡°Mr. Chen?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Maggie.¡± Chen Xin gave her a faint smile, though the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. ¡°Why are you here alone today?¡±

    ¡°Payne went to get breakfast, and Leng Qing often skips coming by. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Mr. Chen, I assume you didn¡¯t come here just for small talk. Is this¡­ about Xiaowan?¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s face showed a trace of guilt as he nodded gravely. ¡°Yes. Xiaowan and I had an argument, and she left in anger. I¡¯ve looked everywhere for her but can¡¯t find her. Do you¡­ have any idea where she might be?¡±

    This time, however, Maggie didn¡¯t respond immediately as she had during their last meeting. Instead, she sighed, lowered her head, and remained silent.

    Chen Xin grew anxious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I know I shouldn¡¯t have argued with her again, but I swear I¡¯ll never do it again.¡±

    Maggie gave a bitter smile. ¡°Xiaowan¡¯s previous boyfriends used to say the same thing, but they still argued with her over and over again. Mr. Chen, do you know that after you asked about Xiaowan¡¯s whereabouts last time, Payne told me I was being too eager, too desperate for her to find happiness? He said I didn¡¯t properly evaluate the men interested in her and let them get close to her too easily. And now, I think he might have been right.¡±

    ¡°I understand where you¡¯re coming from.¡± Chen Xin crouched down, looking at her sincerely. ¡°But I, Chen Xin, never break my promises. I hope you can believe in me one more time. You said you want Xiaowan to be happy, and I promise you, I¡¯m the one who can make her happy.¡±

    Maggie bit her lip, her eyes reddening bit by bit. Choking up, she said, ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word because Xiaowan has been through a lot of pain in her past. I couldn¡¯t save her, but maybe you can.¡±

    Chen Xin nodded earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make that happen.¡±

    Maggie wiped her eyes and sighed deeply. ¡°She¡¯s probably with Leng Qing. Whenever she feels down, she always goes to him. Leng Qing has a studio, and the address is¡­¡±

    After learning the location of the studio, Chen Xin stood up quickly but hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Maggie, you mentioned Xiaowan had a painful past. Do you know what happened?¡±

    Maggie shook her head. ¡°That, I really don¡¯t know. Xiaowan never told us. But Leng Qing has known her the longest¡ªhe might know something.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Thank you.¡± Chen Xin expressed his gratitude before hurrying off.

    Maggie watched his retreating figure and murmured to herself, ¡°If you can truly save her, then I should be the one saying thank you¡­¡±

    Near noon, Xiaowan finally woke up in Leng Qing¡¯s studio. The musty smell of the sofa bed wasn¡¯t as smooth or soft as the silk sheets at Chen Xin¡¯s house, but it was the most comforting bed she had experienced in years.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Leng Qing said softly from nearby as he heard her stir.

    Yawning, Xiaowan walked barefoot across the floor and hugged him from behind, resting against him as she admired the stone sculpture of herself. Tilting her head, she scrutinized it for a moment before snorting. ¡°It¡¯s so ugly¡ªstill not as good-looking as me.¡±

    Leng Qing chuckled, grabbing her hand. ¡°You must be hungry. I¡¯ll go buy you something to eat.¡±

    ¡°No need for the trouble. You still have noodles here, right? I want plain noodles¡ªmake them for me,¡± Xiaowan said as she swung her legs from the sofa.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Leng Qing put out his cigarette, pulled over a portable electric stove from the corner, and filled a pot with water before placing it on top.

    While the water boiled, Xiaowan lit a cigarette of her own, reclining on the sofa and humming a tune as she played around.

    Leng Qing walked over, sat beside her, and took the cigarette from her lips. ¡°Smoke less.¡±

    Xiaowan rolled her eyes and snatched it back. ¡°Oh, now you care about me? Who was it that taught me to smoke in the first place?¡±

    Leng Qing felt a pang of regret. Back then, Xiaowan had been devastated by the passing of her grandmother, lost and broken. Watching her spiral, he¡¯d smoked a cigarette in frustration, and she¡¯d insisted on trying it. That was how she had learned to use nicotine to suppress her sorrow.

    He sighed and said with self-reproach, ¡°That was my mistake. I should¡¯ve stopped you back then.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Seeing his expression, Xiaowan softened. She sat up, stuffed the cigarette into his mouth, and leaned on his shoulder. ¡°Alright, alright, I was just teasing you. I don¡¯t really blame you. Hey, show me how you blow smoke rings!¡±

    Leng Qing gave her a gentle look, took a deep drag, and blew out a large smoke ring, followed by a smaller one that passed through the first.

    Xiaowan clapped her hands in delight. ¡°Hahaha, it never gets old! My Leng Qing is the best!¡± She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

    Suddenly, Leng Qing caught her wrist, pressing her down onto the sofa bed as he deepened the kiss.

    But before long, Xiaowan pushed him away abruptly. Turning her head to the side, she whispered, ¡°No.¡±

    Leng Qing fell silent for a few seconds and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were done with Chen Xin?¡±

    Xiao Wan lowered her gaze without responding. Leng Qing felt a chill in his heart. He slowly sat up with an indifferent expression, while Xiao Wan remained lying there, seemingly lost in thought.

    At that moment, a rapid knock sounded from the door.

    A familiar male voice followed, ¡°Xiao Wan! Xiao Wan! It¡¯s me, Chen Xin! Are you in there?¡±

    Leng Qing noticed Xiao Wan¡¯s fingers twitch slightly, but she didn¡¯t move. Neither of the two in the room said a word, yet Chen Xin¡¯s voice grew louder and more urgent, as though he wouldn¡¯t stop until he saw Xiao Wan.

    Finally, Xiao Wan let out an angry breath, sprang up from the sofa, tugged her dress to one side to expose her bare shoulder, mussed up her hair, and stormed barefoot to the door. She yanked it open.

    ¡°What?¡± she leaned against the doorframe, her cold gaze cutting into him.

    Her disheveled appearance left Chen Xin momentarily stunned. Peering past her, he could see Leng Qing sitting on the sofa, his clothes somewhat unkempt. Xiao Wan spoke with a vengeful tone, ¡°I¡¯m busy. If you have nothing urgent, then get lost.¡±

    Chen Xin stared intently at her, looking past the defiance in her rebellious eyes, deeper and deeper, until he saw the hidden sadness and grievance buried within.

    With a soft sigh, he said, ¡°I came to apologize. I¡¯ve already handled the situation. Those two boys¡ªso young yet so malicious¡ªcannot be left unchecked. I contacted CPS in the city, and they took the matter seriously. The boys¡¯ information has been recorded, and their parents were warned. CPS will monitor their education and behavior over the next three years. If they do anything similar, they¡¯ll be sent to a rehabilitation center for proper guidance.

    ¡°I¡¯m also proud of you for stepping in to save Jenny that day. But I¡¯m sorry for not asking what happened first, for leaving you alone at home for so long, and for lashing out at you.

    ¡°And lastly¡­ I found your necklace.¡±

    Xiao Wan had remained expressionless until this point, but when Chen Xin pulled out a crescent moon necklace from his pocket, she gasped and snatched it from him almost instinctively.

    She stared at the recovered necklace for a long time, clutching it to her chest, breathing heavily, before looking at Chen Xin with disbelief. ¡°Where¡­where did you find it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated,¡± Chen Xin explained gently. ¡°I guessed it might have fallen into the drain while you were showering, so I had workers dismantle the bathroom in your room. We found it stuck in the drainage pipe¡ªit hadn¡¯t flowed far. If it had reached the underground system beneath the villa, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to recover it at all¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Xiao Wan threw herself into his arms, hugging him so tightly that even Chen Xin, who was physically strong, found it hard to breathe.

    Despite this, he felt overjoyed because she was finally willing to forgive him.

    As he stroked her hair, he said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, truly. I promise I won¡¯t¡ªah!¡±

    Before he could finish, Xiao Wan clawed at his face and cursed, ¡°You bastard! Just a pet caretaker, and you dare yell at me? You¡¯ve got guts, huh? I did the right thing, yet everyone scolded me for it. Why?! And why did it take you so long to find me? Do you know how miserable I¡¯ve been these past two days? I¡¯m going to scratch you to death!¡±

    Chen Xin endured her grievances and scratches, softly explaining, ¡°I know. I know you were right. I support what you did. I wanted to find you sooner, but dismantling the bathroom took time, and I wanted to bring the necklace to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Still talking back? Scratch you to death!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, no more excuses.¡± Seeing her reddened eyes, Chen Xin¡¯s heart softened completely. He hugged her gently and said, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Do whatever you want to me¡ªah, hey!¡±

    Xiao Wan suddenly bit his chest through his shirt.

    Chen Xin winced in pain but didn¡¯t resist, patting her back in an attempt to soothe the fiery little wildcat in his arms.

    She ground her teeth against his chest for a while before letting go, leaning against him with a teary whimper.

    Chen Xin heaved a sigh of relief and quickly asked, ¡°Not mad anymore? Let¡¯s go home, okay? I asked Ellie to prepare a lot of good food for you.¡±

    ¡°No way! Who said I¡¯m not mad anymore?¡± Xiao Wan glared at him. ¡°I want to shop¡ªbuy, buy, buy! You have to come with me, and I¡¯m going to shop until you¡¯re broke!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I already took the day off from work. I¡¯ll spend the entire day with you,¡± Chen Xin said, taking her hand. ¡°Shall we go, then?¡±

    ¡°Wait, let me put on my shoes.¡± Xiao Wan turned back, finding her discarded high heels on the floor. After putting them on, she glanced at Leng Qing, still seated motionless by the sofa.

    Her gaze dimmed slightly as she cleared her throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Leng Qing didn¡¯t respond.

    Xiao Wan picked up her bag, held Chen Xin¡¯s hand at the door, and walked out without looking back at Leng Qing.

    Not long after they left, the water in the pot began to boil. Leng Qing stared at the bubbling water, chuckled bitterly, and suddenly kicked the pot over. The scalding water spilled everywhere, as if mocking his helplessness with that woman.

    The young woman raised her eyebrows slightly. By her own standards, her appearance was not bad, yet this man showed no reaction. As expected, the wealthier the man, the harder they are to attract. Failing her first attempt, she devised another plan. Suddenly, she touched her ear in feigned panic and exclaimed, ¡°My earring! It¡¯s gone!¡±

    She pretended to search on the carpet for a moment, of course finding nothing, and then turned to Chen Xin with an apologetic expression. ¡°Sir, could you check the sofa you¡¯re sitting on to see if there¡¯s an earring? I suspect it might have fallen there when I tripped.¡±

    Chen Xin glanced around briefly. ¡°I¡¯m quite sure there is no earring on the sofa.¡±

    ¡°But that earring is really important to me. Could it have fallen into the crevices?¡± she persisted, reaching out toward Chen Xin¡¯s thigh as she spoke. At the same time, she leaned in closer, deliberately giving him a view of her cleavage.

    Chen Xin found himself trapped between the blonde woman and the sofa¡¯s backrest, visibly flustered. Not wanting to touch her, he frowned and said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m quite certain there¡¯s no earring here. Could you please not get so close?¡±

    That was the moment Xiao Wan stepped out of the fitting room. With just one glance, she understood what the blonde was trying to do. She coughed lightly and walked over with an icy expression. ¡°This man is mine. If you¡¯re looking for a sugar daddy, spend some money to mingle at a yacht club instead of trying to snatch someone else¡¯s.¡±

    The blonde woman hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Wan to be so blunt. Her face flushed slightly, and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m just here to shop for clothes¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? Then let¡¯s see what you can afford in this store, dressed in a $10 clearance T-shirt,¡± Xiao Wan challenged, eyeing her provocatively.

    The blonde bit her lip and picked up a dress hanging nearby. But after one glance at the price tag, she put it back down. She turned around and walked toward the door, attempting to look dignified. Xiao Wan casually said to the salesperson nearby, ¡°Wrap up the dress that blonde lady just looked at for me. It¡¯s not my favorite, but hey, my sugar daddy is rich.¡±

    The blonde couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and turned around to yell, ¡°You¡¯re no different from me! What¡¯s there to be so smug about?¡±

    Xiao Wan batted her eyelashes innocently. ¡°Don¡¯t lump me in with you. I would never steal someone else¡¯s man.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± The blonde was livid, gritting her teeth. Finally, she burst out, ¡°You know what? You are such a bitch!¡±

    Xiao Wan gave her a faint smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 22.Pay a visit

    After the blonde girl retreated in defeat, Xiaowan immediately turned her remaining anger toward Chen Xin, standing akimbo as she scolded him: ¡°Chen Xiaoguai, you¡¯re getting bolder, huh! Were you enjoying yourself when she was touching your thigh just now?¡±

    Chen Xin explained helplessly, ¡°How could that be? I was just stuck in that situation with no way to avoid her. I didn¡¯t even look at her face clearly. And how could you let her insult you like that? No, I¡¯m calling her back to apologize to you.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, when women argue, since when is it a man¡¯s place to intervene? Don¡¯t try to change the subject! I¡¯ll need to check myself to see if you¡¯re telling the truth!¡± With that, Xiaowan sat on his lap and reached for the area below his abs.

    Chen Xin¡¯s eyes widened like a startled rabbit, and he hastily whispered, ¡°What are you doing? Let go! There are people around!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I need to see if she made you react!¡± Xiaowan pouted and ran her hands all over his sensitive area.

    Before long, she pretended to puff up her cheeks and said angrily, ¡°Liar! You clearly reacted!¡±

    Chen Xin was indignant, almost shouting, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re the one touching me! Let go right now!¡±

    Xiaowan burst into laughter, jumping away nimbly. Chen Xin¡¯s face had turned beet red as he struggled to take deep breaths to calm the impulse Xiaowan had stirred in him.

    At that moment, the sales assistant Beatrice returned with the cake. Xiaowan complained to her, ¡°Beatrice! Didn¡¯t I tell you to keep an eye on my man? Where did you run off to? That blonde girl almost stole him away!¡±

    Beatrice apologized with a guilty expression, ¡°I went to get you your favorite cake! I¡¯m sorry, I promise I¡¯ll watch him better next time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Xiaowan nodded contentedly, taking a bite of the cake. She beamed, ¡°This is so good! Can I have all of it?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all yours,¡± Beatrice said with a smile.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ve picked out my clothes. Go ahead and settle the bill.¡± Xiaowan took a card from Chen Xin¡¯s wallet and handed it to her. A few minutes later, Beatrice returned with Xiaowan¡¯s chosen items and said, ¡°All packed up, and I¡¯ve boxed the cake for you too.¡±

    Xiaowan hung all the bags on Chen Xin¡¯s arms, pulling him along as they left. ¡°Bye, Beatrice!¡±

    ¡°Bye! I¡¯ll call you when we get new arrivals.¡±

    Once they were in the sports car, Xiaowan ate her cake as she said to Chen Xin, ¡°I think I¡¯ve bought enough. Let¡¯s go home!¡±

    But the man beside her remained silent, his expression somewhat stiff.

    Xiaowan chuckled, leaning over to hug him as she asked gently, ¡°Are you mad at me already? I was just teasing. How could I have known you¡¯re so sensitive?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we were in public, and you¡­ you really put me in an awkward position,¡± Chen Xin finally said, his handsome face still tinged with red.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? I promise I won¡¯t do that in public again,¡± Xiaowan quickly apologized, then leaned closer to his ear and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll only do that at home, is that okay?¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s face turned as red as a tomato.

    ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re so cute!¡± Xiaowan laughed, hugging his face and planting several kisses on it, leaving faint pink lipstick marks. ¡°Now hurry and take me home, my white knight.¡±

    With no choice, Chen Xin glanced at her resignedly before starting the car.

    That evening, the two of them snuggled on the sofa watching a movie, as usual. Xiaowan munched on popcorn while thoroughly enjoying The Hills Have Eyes 2 on a paid channel. The characters¡¯ agonizing screams during their deaths made Chen Xin¡¯s ears ache, and he couldn¡¯t help stroking her hair as he asked, ¡°Why do you always watch these gory and violent movies? Can¡¯t we watch a romance film for a change?¡±

    ¡°No way, those are so boring.¡± Xiaowan rolled her eyes. ¡°Romance movies are so predictable. The leads always end up together, right? But with these movies, you never know who¡¯ll survive and beat the psychos in the end. Don¡¯t you admire them?¡±

    She had a point, but this was probably the tenth time she¡¯d watched this movie.

    Chen Xin sighed, accommodating her quirky taste.

    After the movie, as they were preparing for bed, Xiaowan, wearing her new pink Victoria¡¯s Secret nightgown, suddenly darted into Chen Xin¡¯s room. His immediate reaction was to wrap himself tightly in the blanket, saying seriously, ¡°No way. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Xiaowan glared at him, standing by the bed. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to do anything to you! I just want to sleep here. My bathroom is still a mess, and it¡¯s inconvenient to wake up there.¡±

    ¡°The bathrooms in the other guest rooms are fine.¡±

    Xiaowan stomped her foot. ¡°I just want to sleep with you! If you don¡¯t let me, I¡¯ll run away from home!¡±

    After much effort bringing her back, Chen Xin knew that Xiaowan wasn¡¯t just making empty threats. He sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get you another blanket¡ª¡±

    But before he could finish, Xiaowan had already slipped into his blanket with a swift motion.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    From within the blanket, Xiaowan peeked out with only her wide, innocent eyes, looking at him pitifully. ¡°I¡¯m only wearing a nightgown, and it¡¯s so cold. Could you really bear to kick me out?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Chen Xin let out a helpless sigh and emphasized, ¡°You must promise me¡ªno funny business tonight.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Xiaowan said as she yawned, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy. Goodnight.¡±

    She then wrapped her arms around Chen Xin¡¯s waist and rested her head on his chest, even nuzzling against him like a kitten.

    Chen Xin¡¯s entire body heated up. He wanted to push this little troublemaker away, but halfway through, his hands retreated. Suddenly, he realized that perhaps the bathroom excuse was just a pretext¡ªmaybe Xiaowan was beginning to rely on him. Could this be a sign that she had feelings for him too?

    As this thought occurred, the girl in his arms murmured, ¡°The necklace¡­ It wasn¡¯t from my ex-boyfriend, you big dummy.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Chen Xin was startled and felt a surge of joy. ¡°Then¡­ then who?¡±

    ¡°It was from my grandmother,¡± Xiaowan said softly, lowering her gaze. ¡°A gift for my eighteenth birthday.¡±

    This was the first time Xiaowan voluntarily mentioned her family. Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°And your grandmother? Doesn¡¯t she worry about you being away from home so often? How about we visit her sometime?¡±

    Xiaowan took a deep breath, her voice barely audible. ¡°She¡¯s already gone.¡±

    Chen Xin was stunned. He remembered how dismissively Xiaowan had spoken of her parents, using phrases like ¡°already dead¡± or ¡°died ages ago,¡± but it was clear she held a completely different sentiment toward her grandmother.

    Sure enough, the next thing she said confirmed his suspicions: ¡°Grandma was the only family member who ever treated me well.¡±

    Feeling a pang of sorrow, Chen Xin hugged her tightly and said with deep regret, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have jumped to conclusions about your necklace or lashed out at you like that. I don¡¯t know what came over me¡ªI just felt consumed by jealousy, so much so that it made me ugly inside. I¡¯m really sorry you had to see that side of me. I¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Xiaowan lifted her head and kissed him gently. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put it behind us. I wasn¡¯t completely in the right either. I should have told you earlier how much the necklace means to me. That way, you wouldn¡¯t have misjudged.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Chen Xin said earnestly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who gave you the necklace. As long as it¡¯s something you cherish, I should cherish it too.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Xiaowan looked at him for a moment, her eyes reddening. She playfully smacked him. ¡°You¡¯re awful! Are you trying to make me cry?¡±

    Chen Xin immediately held her close, planting kisses on her forehead until he felt her calm down. Tentatively, he asked, ¡°If you¡¯re willing¡­ maybe next time, we could visit your grandmother¡¯s grave together?¡±

    Xiaowan gave him a sidelong glance and huffed, ¡°That depends on how you behave. I¡¯ve never brought a boyfriend to see Grandma before. But¡­ I¡¯m mostly worried she¡¯ll scold me for changing boyfriends too quickly. You don¡¯t know how scary she was when she was mad¡ªhaha.¡±

    Chen Xin gently caressed her face, his tone serious. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to earn your approval, Master.¡±

    But Xiaowan wasn¡¯t satisfied. She rolled her eyes. ¡°You talk so sweetly, but you still won¡¯t let me share your bed!¡±

    Sensing the direction this was heading, Chen Xin coughed and quickly changed the subject. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something else I wanted to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Xiaowan asked, absentmindedly tracing circles on his chest through his pajamas.

    ¡°Everyone knows now what those two boys tried to do to Harold¡¯s daughter. Harold feels terrible about pushing you that day without hearing your side, so he wants to bring his wife and daughter over to apologize. Would¡­ would you be okay with that?¡±

    Xiaowan stopped tracing circles, pursed her lips, and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. We don¡¯t get along anyway. If we end up arguing again, it¡¯ll just be annoying.¡±

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t push further, unwilling to pressure her like he had before. ¡°Alright, no problem. I¡¯ll let Harold know you¡¯ve forgiven him, okay?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Xiaowan nodded. Then she turned her back to him. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now. Stop talking.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Chen Xin turned off the lights with the remote and tucked the blanket snugly around her before closing his eyes.

    But a moment later, Xiaowan turned back, wrapped her arms around him, and said in an impatient tone, ¡°Fine, fine. Let them come. I¡­ don¡¯t want to make things difficult for you at work.¡±

    A wave of warmth swept through Chen Xin¡¯s chest. He hugged her and planted a few light kisses. ¡°Thank you, Xiaowan.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t thank me yet. I have conditions,¡± Xiaowan said, her eyes gleaming in the dark as she licked her lips.

    Chen Xin remained expressionless. ¡°No, you still can¡¯t sleep with me. Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Argh! You jerk! I¡¯ll scratch you to death!¡±

    The next evening, Harold arrived at Chen Xin¡¯s house with his wife and two kids right on time.

    Chen Xin greeted them warmly. ¡°Harold, Amanda, it¡¯s been so long!¡±

    Amanda smiled. ¡°Yes, the last time we saw you was in China. Chen, you¡¯ve grown so much more mature.¡±

    Harold, on the other hand, looked curious. ¡°Never mind that. Chen, what¡¯s with those scratches on your face?¡±

    Chen Xin touched his nose awkwardly and glanced toward the backyard, where Xiaowan was playing with the dogs. ¡°Uh, got scratched by a little wildcat.¡±

    Harold and Amanda exchanged knowing looks, but their daughter, Jenny, exclaimed excitedly, ¡°A kitty? Uncle, do you have a kitty? Can I play with it?¡±

    Amanda chuckled and quickly clarified, ¡°Sweetheart, Uncle Chen was speaking figuratively. He doesn¡¯t actually have a cat.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jenny looked disappointed but soon perked up again. ¡°Can I go play with the pretty big sister?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Chen Xin said, then turned to Harold and Amanda. ¡°Make yourselves comfortable on the couch. I¡¯ll go get Xiaowan.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Harold nervously checked the gift they brought for Xiao Wan.

    A moment later, Xiao Wan was brought over by Chen Xin. Harold and Amanda immediately stood up, sincerely addressing her, ¡°Xiao Wan, thank you for helping Jenny that day. I deeply regret my rash actions at the time. I shouldn¡¯t have judged you with prejudice. Chen was right¡ªyou¡¯re truly a good person. It was my own unfounded assumptions. I hope you can forgive me for my past behavior.¡±

    He handed her the gift¡ªa GUCCI wallet Amanda had specially picked out. The couple anxiously watched Xiao Wan, expecting her sharp personality to lead to a scolding. Surprisingly, she simply accepted the gift and said lightly, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. No big deal.¡±

    The couple breathed a sigh of relief. Jenny, sensing the tension ease, happily threw herself into Xiao Wan¡¯s arms, shouting, ¡°Pretty sister!¡±

    Jenny¡¯s older brother attempted to follow suit, but Xiao Wan sternly stopped him. ¡°No, you¡¯re not allowed. I don¡¯t like little boys.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The boy retreated reluctantly.

    Amanda chuckled and remarked to Chen Xin, ¡°Xiao Wan is so genuine and beautiful. Chen, you¡¯re truly lucky to have her.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled, ¡°Thank you. Ellie is still busy preparing dinner. Would you like me to show you around the house?¡±

    Harold immediately agreed, ¡°Of course. Who wouldn¡¯t want to tour a rich guy¡¯s house?¡±

    The couple followed Chen Xin around the villa, leaving their two children under Xiao Wan¡¯s care. Jenny and her brother tagged along behind Xiao Wan like little shadows, joining her in the garden to play with the dogs.

    Jenny¡¯s brother was thrilled to run around with the dogs, while Jenny stuck close to Xiao Wan, gazing at her admiringly with her bright green eyes.

    Sitting on a chair, Xiao Wan smirked, pinching Jenny¡¯s soft cheeks. ¡°What are you staring at, hmm?¡±

    Jenny responded with a sweet smile, ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, sister. Are you a celebrity? I want to be a celebrity when I grow up!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Xiao Wan tilted Jenny¡¯s chin to examine her. ¡°But you¡¯ve got potential. If you want to be a star, you have to work hard, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Jenny gleefully hugged Xiao Wan.

    Suddenly, Xiao Wan grew serious and asked, ¡°Did your parents explain to you what those two boys were trying to do to you that day?¡±

    Jenny nodded solemnly. ¡°Mommy and Daddy taught me. They said I must never show my body to anyone for food or anything else. My body is private, and I must protect myself.¡±

    Relieved, Xiao Wan patted her head. ¡°Good. Be cautious in the future, okay? You¡¯re a girl, and such a beautiful one at that. You need to stay safe from bad people.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jenny obediently nodded and leaned against her.

    Just as Xiao Wan was reflecting on this, the doorbell rang.

    Everyone else was busy preparing dinner, so Xiao Wan left Jenny and opened the door¡ªonly to see Ye Chen standing there.

    The two locked eyes for half a second before springing into action. Xiao Wan tried to shut the door, while Ye Chen stuck his foot in to block it. When Xiao Wan realized she couldn¡¯t hold him off, she leaned down and bit his hand hard.

    ¡°Ahhh! Damn it!¡± Ye Chen yelped in pain as Xiao Wan triumphantly shoved him out and slammed the door.

    Just as Xiao Wan shut the door, Chen Xin came downstairs with Harold and Amanda.

    Chen Xin asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? I thought I heard something.¡±

    Leaning against the door, Xiao Wan innocently replied, ¡°Nothing. You must¡¯ve heard wrong.¡±

    Before she could finish, an angry voice shouted from outside, ¡°Lin Xiao Wan! Let me in, or else!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed, rubbing his temples. ¡°Stop it, Xiao Wan. Let Ye Chen in. I invited him.¡±

    Xiao Wan stomped her foot in protest. ¡°Why did you invite him? Ugh, annoying! I won¡¯t let him in!¡±

    Chen Xin tried to reason with her. ¡°Ye Chen helped with Jenny¡¯s situation. I thought it might be a good chance for you two to reconcile. Isn¡¯t that a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Reconcile, my foot.¡± Xiao Wan pouted and stepped aside.

    Chen Xin opened the door, letting Ye Chen in. The moment Ye Chen saw him, he angrily displayed his hand. ¡°Look! She bit me! Your girlfriend is crazy!¡±

    Xiao Wan, arms crossed, glanced at the ceiling and said, ¡°Serves you right for barging in. If I were less merciful, I¡¯d let the dogs loose on you.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Alright, enough.¡± Chen Xin stepped between them, exasperated. ¡°Please, both of you. For my sake, can you not fight tonight? You¡¯re both important to me, and I just want everyone to have a nice dinner together.¡±

    Reluctantly, both nodded.

    Just then, Ellie appeared, announcing that dinner was ready. Xiao Wan excitedly gathered the children, leading them to the dining room like a trio of foraging squirrels.

    The others soon joined. Ye Chen purposely chose a seat far from Xiao Wan, carefully wiping the bite mark on his hand while throwing occasional glares her way. Xiao Wan ignored him, focusing entirely on eating and feeding the children.

    At the end of dinner, Amanda pulled Xiao Wan aside to help with the dishes. Alone in the kitchen, Amanda said, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to share with you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Xiao Wan asked, tossing leftovers into the trash.

    Amanda sighed, ¡°I wanted to explain why Harold had such a strong prejudice against you before. Back in our hometown, Harold grew up with a girl¡ªhis childhood sweetheart. They went to the same high school and even got into the same college. It was supposed to be a romantic story, but both their families were poor, and student loans were a heavy burden. Harold worked three part-time jobs every day, and she did the same.

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t long before she broke under the pressure. Somehow, she got involved with a wealthy man and became his mistress. When Harold begged her to come back, she humiliated him publicly, blaming him for holding her back. Since then, Harold has had a deep-seated hatred for ¡®gold diggers.¡¯¡±

    Xiao Wan fell silent, understanding dawning on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s not far off from what I guessed,¡± Xiaowan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why, as soon as he saw me¡ªa so-called gold-digger¡ªhe hoped I¡¯d break up with Chen Xin. I get it.¡±

    ¡°That was his old thinking. He doesn¡¯t feel that way anymore,¡± Amanda said seriously. ¡°And as for me, I could tell from the moment we met today that you¡¯re not the kind of person who chases wealth. You just pretend to be one. Did something upsetting happen to you before?¡±

    Xiaowan¡¯s hand paused as she was wiping the table, and she lowered her head slightly. She had always prided herself on her keen insight into people, but she hadn¡¯t expected Amanda to see through her so easily.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Amanda said quickly. ¡°I just wanted to say you¡¯re a good person, and I hope you and Chen Xin can end up together. I can tell he really likes you. Xiaowan, happiness is stingy¡ªwhen it comes, you must seize it and treat your life seriously.¡±

    Xiaowan looked up and stared at Amanda for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°Your job isn¡¯t by chance¡­ a psychologist, is it?¡±

    Amanda chuckled. ¡°Caught me.¡±

    ¡°I knew it. That routine felt so familiar,¡± Xiaowan said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Fine, thanks for your kind words. I¡¯ll think about it¡­ I¡¯m taking Jenny out to play!¡±

    With that, she turned and led the two children out of the kitchen. Amanda, however, frowned slightly. What did Xiaowan mean by that last comment? Could it be that she was seeing a psychologist herself?

    The three men in the living room didn¡¯t chat for long before Harold suggested visiting Chen Xin¡¯s backyard garden. They all walked over to the trees and continued their conversation.

    After a while, Chen Xin remembered something and turned to Ye Chen. ¡°Oh right, the lawyer wanted me to ask you for the recording from that day in the restroom. He said he wants to back it up just in case that woman causes trouble again.¡±

    Ye Chen scoffed and shot him a glance. ¡°What recording? I made that up.¡±

    Chen Xin and Harold stared at him in shock.

    Ye Chen quickly added, ¡°Oh, but what happened that day was real. Lin Xiaowan did save your daughter. But honestly, I had just pulled my pants up when it all happened. It was over in like two minutes¡ªI didn¡¯t even think about recording anything.¡±

    Chen Xin caught on quickly. ¡°So, you made it up to scare that woman off?¡±

    Harold nodded in agreement. ¡°Even though it was fabricated, it helped Xiaowan and dealt with that woman¡¯s outrageous demands. For people like her, you have to fight fire with fire. I think it was fine.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to help her. I just wanted to back up my buddy,¡± Ye Chen shrugged. ¡°That woman and her sons, with all their blatant racism and terrible behavior, are just disgusting to deal with.¡±

    Chen Xin thought for a moment and then said sincerely, ¡°No matter what, I still need to thank you.¡±

    ¡°Come on, no need for that between bros.¡± Ye Chen lit a cigarette, pulled another one out, and offered it to Chen Xin, who refused as usual. ¡°I don¡¯t smoke.¡±

    Ye Chen rolled his eyes. ¡°Give it some time with Lin Xiaowan, and I bet you¡¯ll pick it up soon enough.¡±

    Why was he suddenly taking shots at Xiaowan again? Chen Xin sighed. ¡°She¡¯s not crazy.¡±

    ¡°How is she not? I even helped her, and how did she repay me?¡± Ye Chen angrily held up his left hand. ¡°Look at this! The teeth marks she left haven¡¯t even faded. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m getting a rabies shot later, and you¡¯re covering the cost!¡±

    Chen Xin sighed again. ¡°Ye Chen, that¡¯s going too far.¡±

    ¡°Too far?¡± Ye Chen pointed at himself indignantly. ¡°Too far? Harold, be the judge. Who¡¯s more unreasonable¡ªme or Lin Xiaowan?¡±

    Harold spoke righteously. ¡°Obviously you. Xiaowan saved Jenny. Even if she turned you into a zombie, it¡¯d still be your fault.¡±

    Ye Chen nearly choked on his own indignation, pointing at the other two men angrily. ¡°You¡¯re either brainwashed or under some kind of spell from her!¡±

    ¡°Alright, calm down,¡± Chen Xin said. ¡°You know what she¡¯s like by now. Just give in a little, and she won¡¯t pick fights with you.¡±

    ¡°And why should I?¡± Ye Chen snapped. ¡°Just because she¡¯s got half the city¡¯s rich second generation at her beck and call?¡±

    Chen Xin clarified, ¡°She¡¯s not flirting. They¡¯re the ones messaging her, and she hasn¡¯t replied to a single one.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then what¡¯s with the guy in her profile picture? Can¡¯t you, as a man, show some backbone and do something about it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. A

 23.Ball gameâ€

    Time flew by like a fleeting horse, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed. By the end of February and the beginning of March, the weather in N City had already begun to warm up slightly. The tender touch of spring gently swept across this modern metropolis. Standing in the morning garden, Chen Xin took in the scene of life awakening all around him, feeling a wave of delight in his heart.

    Yawning, Xiao Wan walked over to hug him, rubbing her head against his chest.

    Chen Xin lowered his head to kiss the top of her hair and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you head to school and check in?¡±

    ¡°I just went last week,¡± Xiao Wan replied with a shake of her head. ¡°Top scorers in small tests are entitled to skip class, you know.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled helplessly. He knew he couldn¡¯t outtalk her. After all, her foundation and performance were already above her classmates, and she was even subtly surpassing her teacher. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯m heading to work. Want to come with me?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Xiao Wan said, giving him a peck on the cheek. ¡°Wait for me; I¡¯ll change my clothes!¡±

    The warmer weather meant Xiao Wan could finally dress however she pleased. She picked a pure white OL-style blouse with a bow, paired it with a soft pink pencil skirt, slipped on nude heels, and grabbed her Himalayan handbag. She walked downstairs, linking her arm with Chen Xin¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Dress warmer. What if you catch a cold?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine; I¡¯m pretty healthy. Don¡¯t you like me dressed like this?¡± she teased.

    ¡°I do, but I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t get sick.¡± He took off his coat, draped it over her shoulders, and held her close as they headed toward the garage.

    As the car left the villa, Xiao Wan snuggled into Chen Xin¡¯s coat, inhaling deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but your scent seems to get better and better.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled lightly. ¡°Does it? Maybe it means we¡¯re a perfect match. I¡¯ve read before that if two people have highly different immune genes, they¡¯ll find each other¡¯s scent more appealing. And their kids would end up having stronger immunity.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Wan arched her brow, leaning closer. ¡°Does that mean you find my scent appealing too?¡±

    Chen Xin gazed at her warmly. ¡°Mm, you smell lovely.¡±

    As she playfully tugged at his earlobe, she pouted, ¡°Then why¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I let you sleep with me?¡± Chen Xin smirked. ¡°Sometimes, the longer you wait, the sweeter the reward. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Xiao Wan squinted, a glint in her eyes. ¡°I see through your game now.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What game?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re playing hard to get with me!¡± Xiao Wan gave him a playful slap. ¡°Chen Xiaogui, you¡¯re actually using this old trick on me? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯ve already mastered it?¡±

    Chen Xin feigned innocence. ¡°I¡¯m not playing any tricks. I just think we should wait until our feelings deepen further.¡±

    ¡°Humph, keep making excuses.¡± Xiao Wan pinched his cheek. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s see who runs out of patience first, you or me.¡±

    Chen Xin felt slightly uneasy. If Xiao Wan really decided to turn this into a battle, he wasn¡¯t sure he could outlast her. However, his male pride and desire to conquer wouldn¡¯t let him back down. He leaned over, kissed her hand softly, and smiled without responding further.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Xiao Wan suddenly leaned in and left a lipstick-marked bite on his neck. As Chen Xin yelped in pain, she said dominantly, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare wipe it off!¡±

    And so, Chen Xin arrived at work with a noticeable mark on his neck. Harold burst out laughing when he saw him. ¡°Hahaha! What did you do to piss Xiao Wan off this time?¡±

    Chen Xin, too embarrassed to share personal details, changed the topic. ¡°Anything important at the office?¡±

    ¡°Not much. Oh, but the manager of the basketball team you invested in dropped by earlier. He left a few tickets on your desk,¡± Harold said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Hey, can I have two? My son¡¯s a big basketball fan.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Chen Xin replied with a smile.

    When he entered his office, Xiao Wan was playing with the fish in his tank. The tickets were tucked into a folder, only partially visible. Chen Xin pulled them out and counted six¡ªpremium courtside seats for tonight¡¯s game. He handed two to Harold.

    ¡°Awesome! Thanks, man!¡± Harold said cheerfully.

    After Harold left, Chen Xin turned to Xiao Wan. ¡°Want to go watch an NBA game with me tonight? The team I invested in sent over some tickets.¡±

    ¡°Which team?¡± Xiao Wan asked without looking up.

    ¡°N City¡¯s very own, the Drones,¡± Chen Xin replied with a grin.

    Xiao Wan froze momentarily before flatly saying, ¡°Not interested.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Everyone¡¯s saying they have a strong shot at the championship this year. Tonight¡¯s game is against a solid opponent, and their star player, Hayden, is particularly im¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said no!¡± Xiao Wan interrupted irritably. ¡°A bunch of grown men fighting over a ball¡ªwhat¡¯s so great about that? So childish. Go if you want, but I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll go on my own,¡± Chen Xin said, resigned.

    ¡°Good,¡± Xiao Wan huffed, splashing at the water in frustration.

    Later, as work wrapped up, Harold brought his son to the office. Excitedly, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s head out!¡±

    ¡°Give me a second to see if Ye Chen¡¯s joining us here or coming straight from his office,¡± Chen Xin said.

    Out of nowhere, Xiao Wan raised her head. ¡°Chen Xiaogui! You gave a ticket to Ye Chen?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Well, there were extra tickets, and he¡¯s my best friend. Plus, he loves basketball. Since you weren¡¯t coming¡ª¡±

    ¡°Since I¡¯m not going, he gets to badmouth me to you all he wants?¡± Xiao Wan said, hands on her hips. ¡°Hmph! No way I¡¯m letting him get his way. I¡¯m coming too!¡±

    Chen Xin smiled, pleased. ¡°Thank you for coming with me.¡±

    Half an hour later, they arrived outside the arena. Ye Chen stepped out of his car, his arm around a new date, only to spot Xiao Wan climbing out of Chen Xin¡¯s car. She was wearing oversized sunglasses that covered half her face.

    ¡°I thought you said she wasn¡¯t coming?¡± Ye Chen asked grumpily.

    Before Chen Xin could reply, Xiao Wan shot back, ¡°I changed my mind. No way I¡¯m giving you a chance to talk trash about me to Xiaogui!¡±

    ¡°Talk trash? I only ever speak the truth! And by the way, you still owe me for biting me last time!¡± Ye Chen retorted.

    As the two bickered, Harold tried to diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, Ye Chen¡¯s date suddenly gasped, staring at Xiao Wan in awe. ¡°Oh my gosh! Are you¡­ ¡®KittyOnlyDatesRichKids¡¯ from Instagram?!¡±

    Xiao Wan glanced at her and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. What about it?¡±

    ¡°I admire you so much!¡± The girl exclaimed as she rushed toward Xiao Wan, almost as if trying to cling to her legs. ¡°Kitty goddess! How do you manage to make so many rich heirs fall for you so completely? Teach me some of your secrets, please!¡±

    Xiao Wan looked her up and down and said, ¡°First of all, you have to be beautiful. Men are all about looks. You¡¯re not bad, though.¡±

    ¡°Really? Thank you, Kitty! Besides being beautiful, is there any other secret?¡±

    Xiao Wan pointed at Ye Chen, who was walking ahead of them, and said, ¡°Stay away from men like him.¡±

    ¡°Why? President Gu is very nice to me!¡± the girl asked curiously, clearly still new and naive in this social circle.

    Xiao Wan raised her pinky finger and said, ¡°Because he¡¯s¡­ small. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re losing out being with him?¡±

    ¡°What? Really? I haven¡¯t seen it yet¡­ How small are we talking?¡±

    The moment the girl asked, Ye Chen, who was walking ahead, instantly exploded. He turned around furiously and charged toward Xiao Wan. ¡°Lin! Xiao! Wan! If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson today, I¡¯ll write my name backward!¡±

    Chen Xin quickly stepped in to stop him. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s get inside. The game is about to start! Didn¡¯t you say you were excited to see Hayden play?¡±

    Ye Chen grumbled and pointed at the girl. ¡°You, come here! I¡¯ve been buying you stuff left and right, and you go off fawning over Lin Xiao Wan?¡±

    The girl quickly ran to his side but couldn¡¯t help staring suspiciously at Ye Chen¡¯s lower half. Being stared at like this made Ye Chen jumpy. He shouted in frustration, ¡°What are you looking at? There¡¯s nothing small about me! Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Xiao Wan laughed so hard she clutched her stomach. Meanwhile, Harold, standing nearby, shivered a little and thought to himself, Good thing Xiao Wan and I are on good terms now. Otherwise, the one being utterly humiliated by her right now might have been me.

    After entering and taking their seats, Xiao Wan lowered her head and started playing a mobile game. Chen Xin asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take off your sunglasses?¡±

    ¡°Nope. The lights here are too bright, and I don¡¯t want them to damage my delicate skin,¡± Xiao Wan said, shaking her head.

    Chen Xin chuckled softly and kissed her cheek. ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡±

    A few minutes later, as the audience gradually filled their seats, the lights in the arena dimmed slightly, leaving only a few spotlights shining on the players¡¯ entrance. It was time for the athletes to make their entrance.

    Accompanied by stirring music, the home team players were introduced one by one, with the star players saved for last. With each player¡¯s entrance, the audience¡¯s cheers grew louder and louder.

    Finally, the most dazzling star of the Drone team, one of the team¡¯s key players, small forward Hayden Sean, entered amidst deafening cheers. Hayden was a 23-year-old white player¡ªa rarity in the NBA, which was dominated by Black athletes. Standing 1.98 meters tall, with auburn, shoulder-length hair and a charismatic smile, he had defied expectations with his physicality and skill. Last year, in his rookie season, he had stunned fans and helped lead the previously overlooked Drone team to the playoffs. Although they didn¡¯t win the championship, this year, they were considered strong contenders.

    Walking confidently onto the court, Hayden exchanged fist bumps with his teammates before turning to the stands and making his signature heart gesture toward fans wearing his jersey. The audience erupted with cheers, and Hayden responded with a sunny smile, tying his hair into a playful ponytail before starting his warm-up.

    In the stands, Harold and his son cheered excitedly for Hayden, shouting, ¡°MVP! Hayden, MVP!¡± Their faces were flushed with enthusiasm.

    Even Ye Chen was thrilled. He patted Chen Xin on the shoulder and said, ¡°Dude, you¡¯ve got a great eye. Did you know the team¡¯s stock price has gone up nearly 15% since you invested?¡±

    Chen Xin smiled and said, ¡°I told you to buy their stock back then. Regret it now?¡±

    Ye Chen shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe a white guy could play this well at the time. Hey, can you get me a few signed jerseys from him? I want to save them to show my future son. Haha!¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll message their manager and have some sent over after the game,¡± Chen Xin said.

    Hearing this, Harold and his son immediately raised their hands and shouted, ¡°We want some too!¡±

    Chen Xin ruffled Harold¡¯s son¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Alright.¡±

    When the game officially began, the atmosphere became even more electrifying. Hayden lived up to his reputation as a top scorer, executing precise and decisive plays while also creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Within the first three minutes of the game, he had already scored ten points and made several impressive assists.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a lone wolf on the court; he¡¯s got real leadership qualities. Mark my words¡ªthis guy is going to be one of the brightest stars in the NBA!¡± Harold exclaimed in excitement.

    Chen Xin nodded in agreement but was more concerned about Xiao Wan. Ever since the game started, she hadn¡¯t glanced at the court once, completely absorbed in her phone game.

    Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, ¡°Are you bored? If you don¡¯t want to stay, I can give you my card, and you can go shopping nearby. The game will last a while.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xiao Wan replied, yawning. ¡°I¡¯m just a little sleepy. I¡¯ll nap for a bit.¡±

    With that, she took off her sunglasses, lay down on Chen Xin¡¯s lap, and covered her face with his suit jacket. Chen Xin gently stroked her hair and adjusted his hand to support her head more comfortably.

    By the end of the first half, thanks to Hayden¡¯s stellar performance, the Drone team was leading 67-45. The fans were ecstatic, convinced of their impending victory. During the halftime break, while most players returned to the locker room for instructions, Hayden stayed on the court to chat with a few teammates.

    At that moment, the most dramatic and humorous interactive entertainment of NBA games, the ¡°Kiss Cam,¡± began. As the name suggests, this segment involves kissing. Typically, the organizers randomly focus the camera on two fans in the audience, projecting their faces onto the stadium¡¯s central big screen. Once on camera, fans are expected to kiss the person next to them, even if they don¡¯t know them.

    As the Kiss Cam segment began, bursts of laughter echoed through the crowd. Many initially hesitated upon seeing themselves on screen but usually ended up laughing and giving in. After filming a few pairs of fans, the camera suddenly turned to Chen Xin and Xiao Wan in their seats.

    At this moment, Xiao Wan was still lying on Chen Xin¡¯s lap, asleep. Their posture looked incredibly intimate on the big screen, causing the crowd to whistle and cheer. Some even shouted, ¡°Hey buddy, she¡¯s kissing the wrong spot! Go for the lips!¡±

    Feeling helpless, Chen Xin gently patted Xiao Wan¡¯s back. ¡°Xiao Wan, wake up. We¡¯re on camera. This pose looks¡­ odd.¡±

    Still groggy, Xiao Wan swatted him away irritably, signaling she wasn¡¯t getting up. The crowd¡¯s cheers grew even louder.

    With no other choice, Chen Xin, blushing, firmly grasped her shoulders and gently sat her upright. His suit jacket slipped off her head as she groggily protested, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Pointing at the big screen, Chen Xin explained, ¡°We¡¯re on Kiss Cam.¡±

    Nearby, Harold and his son chanted enthusiastically, ¡°Kiss! Kiss!¡±

    The moment Xiao Wan noticed her face on the screen, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Damn it,¡± she cursed under her breath, standing abruptly in an attempt to evade the camera, but it was already too late.

    Not far away, Haydn Shawn, who had been seated on the bench, was initially stunned as he stared at Xiao Wan¡¯s face on the screen. Then, as if snapped out of a trance, he stood up and strode toward her.

    The teammates Haydn had been chatting with noticed his sudden departure and looked up at the screen. Seeing Xiao Wan¡¯s face displayed there, they froze in shock.

    ¡°Holy crap! Isn¡¯t that Kitty?¡± they exclaimed, immediately recognizing her.

    Knowing Haydn¡¯s reaction to Kitty, the group tried to intercept him, but it was too late. Haydn had already reached Xiao Wan, grabbing her arm with excitement.

    ¡°Xiao Wan! Why are you here? Did you come to watch me play? Does this mean you¡¯ve finally forgiven me?¡± he blurted out, ignoring the astonished stares of everyone around them, including Chen Xin.

    Surrounded by cameras and reporters, and with the Kiss Cam still focused on them, Xiao Wan wanted to avoid making a scene. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°Let go of me first. If you have anything to say, wait until the game is over.¡±

    But Haydn refused to release her. Ever since their breakup, he hadn¡¯t seen her for over six months, and those months had been pure agony. Basketball was the only thing keeping him going; without it, he might have given up entirely.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let go,¡± Haydn said, his voice trembling. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in so long. If I let you go now, I might never find you again.¡± His voice broke, and his eyes reddened as tears threatened to fall.

    Gritting her teeth in frustration, Xiao Wan hissed, ¡°Haydn! If you dare cry in front of all these reporters, just try it! Do you want to ruin your career?¡±

    Haydn obediently held back his tears, forcing a smile. ¡°You still care about me, Xiao Wan. I can tell! Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t worry about my career, right?¡±

    Before Xiao Wan could respond, Chen Xin stood up, pulling her into his arms. He addressed Haydn politely but firmly, ¡°Mr. Shawn, I admire your talent on the court. However, with so many eyes watching, I don¡¯t want you to put my girlfriend under unnecessary media scrutiny. Please return to your training; she¡¯s here to watch the game with me.¡±

    Haydn froze for a moment, then panicked. Pointing at Chen Xin, he asked Xiao Wan, ¡°You have a new boyfriend? How could you? You know I still¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Xiao Wan cut him off coldly. ¡°I only know what you did to betray me. If you want me to air your dirty laundry in front of the media, keep talking. If not, go back and focus on your game!¡±

    Still unwilling to give up, Haydn reached for her hand again, but his teammates quickly intervened, pulling him away and escorting him back to the locker room.

    Before being dragged away, Haydn glared at Chen Xin, pointing to his eyes and then at him as if to say, ¡°I¡¯m watching you. You won¡¯t get away with this.¡±

    The fans, unaware of the backstory, saw

 24.Ex-partner

    Ye Chen didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he opened Instagram and navigated to Haydn¡¯s profile. Like many other players, Haydn¡¯s posts primarily featured snapshots of his extravagant lifestyle: flaunting gold chains and rings while partying at nightclubs or hosting gatherings with teammates at his luxurious villa. His most recent post showcased a pair of custom high-end sneakers designed specifically for him by a renowned American footwear brand.

    But none of this mattered to Yechen. What stuck in his mind was what Haydn had just said to Lin Xiaowan: ¡°It¡¯s been over six months since I¡¯ve seen you.¡± Prompted by this, Yechen sorted Haydn¡¯s posts by date and scrolled back to those from over six months ago. At that time, Haydn had just wrapped up the previous season, achieving a top-eight finish with his team. His posts back then didn¡¯t exude the same decadence; instead, they depicted him drenched in sweat, diligently training on the court.

    However, Yechen soon noticed a recurring detail in the captions. Each post mentioned a particular woman. For instance:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°Heading to the movies with my baby tonight. I still have five more shooting drills to finish, or she¡¯ll scold me!¡±</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°Snuck in an ice cream during my diet, but baby caught me. What should I do now? She¡¯s mad, boo-hoo.¡±</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Accompanying a photo of his hair tied up in a small ponytail: ¡°I¡¯ve been so focused on training that I haven¡¯t cut my hair. Baby said this little ponytail suits me, so I¡¯ve decided to keep it as my new look for next season!¡±</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°Chinese Qixi Festival is coming up. What gift should I get for my baby? Help me brainstorm, guys!¡±</li>

    </ul>

    Under this particular post, his teammates chimed in with various cheeky suggestions:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°Just gift yourself to her, all nice and clean!¡±</li>

    </ul>

    Haydn replied: ¡°Already did that. She¡¯s bored of it. I need something fresh.¡±

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°Buy her a kitten. I feel like Kitty is practically a cat in human form.¡±</li>

    </ul>

    Haydn replied: ¡°Noted. Might consider it.¡±

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡°What kind of lame suggestions are these? Just buy her a giant diamond ring!¡±</li>

    </ul>

    Haydn replied: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that scare her off? If she runs, I¡¯m not passing you the ball next season!¡±

    One teammate replied: ¡°Come on, it was your idea to ask for suggestions! @KittyOnlyDatesTheRich, come and control him¡ªhe¡¯s bullying us!¡±

    A day later, Xiaowan herself commented on that post: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already taught him a lesson. He knows better now.¡±

    That same day, Haydn posted a photo of himself sprawled on the ground, exhausted: ¡°Baby punished me with 50 extra sets of basic drills. I can¡¯t feel my legs anymore. I swear I¡¯ll be a good player and assist everyone properly, boo-hoo.¡±

    At this point, Yechen had pieced everything together. Haydn Shaun and Lin Xiaowan had indeed dated. Like her previous relationship with Guo Xin, Haydn never publicly showed her face in his posts. Back then, Haydn wasn¡¯t as famous as he is now, and few people dug into his private life. They seemed to have broken up shortly afterward, leaving current fans oblivious to this past relationship.

    Yechen put down his phone, sneered, and muttered, ¡°Damn, she¡¯s got some serious skills. Even an NBA superstar fell for her.¡±

    The girl sitting next to him suddenly interjected, ¡°Of course! Kitty is like a superstar in our digger circles. NBA players are nothing. I heard she even dated a Hollywood¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, the third quarter began, and she fell silent to avoid disturbing Yechen. Little did she know, Yechen was no longer interested in the game.

    Meanwhile, after leaving the stadium, Chen Xin and Xiaowan returned to his car. Xiaowan leaned against him in silence. After a long while, she finally broke the silence.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what happened between me and Haydn?¡± she asked.

    Chen Xin looked down at her and gently said, ¡°If you want to tell me, I¡¯ll listen. If not, I won¡¯t force you. But no matter what, Xiaowan, remember this¡ªI trust you completely.¡±

    Xiaowan sniffled and rubbed her face against his shirt before saying, ¡°We used to date.¡±

    ¡°Did you break up later?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Xiaowan replied with a bitter laugh. ¡°Because he cheated on me with a cheerleader and got her pregnant. The baby¡¯s already seven or eight months along. Everyone on the team knows about it, but the manager spent a fortune keeping it under wraps to protect Haydn¡¯s and the team¡¯s image. That¡¯s why his fans assumed I was the cheater. But the truth? He¡¯s the one who cheated!¡±

    Chen Xin froze for a moment before gently patting her head.

    Xiaowan sniffled again, her voice quivering. ¡°I¡¯ve always known that many of these players lead messy personal lives. But I thought Haydn was different. He seemed so sweet and pure, always listened to me, and did whatever I said. I really thought we could have a future together. But in the end¡­ it still turned out like this.¡±

    Chen Xin thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. It¡¯s all in the past. Think of it this way: only by going through the wrong people can you figure out the kind of person you truly want, right?¡±

    Xiaowan looked up at him with red eyes and said, ¡°I really hope you¡¯re the one I¡¯ve been looking for because I¡¯m so tired. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold on.¡±

    ¡°I will be,¡± Chen Xin said firmly, leaning in to kiss her. Just as their lips were about to meet, someone knocked loudly on the car window.

    Chen Xin looked up to see Yechen standing outside, looking impatient. Not far away stood Harold and his son.

    Chen Xin rolled down the window and asked, ¡°The game¡¯s over?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Yechen replied curtly.

    ¡°Did the Drones lose?¡± Chen Xin guessed.

    ¡°They won,¡± Yechen said. ¡°Even though Haydn played terribly in the second half¡ª¡± He paused to gauge Xiaowan¡¯s reaction, but seeing none, he sneered and continued, ¡°Even though Haydn choked, his teammates stepped up. They barely won by two points.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you look so upset? Aren¡¯t you a fan of this team?¡±

    ¡°Who likes this lousy team?!¡± Yechen shouted. ¡°A bunch of clowns playing basketball! I just came to tell you I¡¯m leaving. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Chen Xin said, reaching for a few Hayden-signed jerseys placed beside him. ¡°These were given to me by the team¡¯s manager earlier as an apology. Three are yours, and the other two are for you to hand to Harold.¡±

    Ye Chen passed the two jerseys to Harold and his son, who promptly thanked him. Then, everyone parted ways and drove off separately.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Ye Chen, driving down a deserted road with his companion, wore a grim expression, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, as though someone owed him a fortune. The woman sitting beside him, oblivious to his mood, admired the three jerseys in her hands, marveling, ¡°Wow, these would fetch a good price if resold!¡±

    No sooner had she spoken than Ye Chen slammed on the brakes, turned to her with a cold look, and stretched out his hand. ¡°Give me the jerseys.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Oh,¡± the woman complied, handing them over.

    Ye Chen immediately rolled down the window, crumpled the jerseys into a ball, and tossed them into a nearby trash can. Then he restarted the car.

    The woman looked back at the discarded jerseys with visible regret, asking incredulously, ¡°Why did you throw them away? Those were Hayden¡¯s signed jerseys¡ªthey¡¯re worth a lot!¡±

    Ye Chen retorted impatiently, ¡°Do I look like I need the money?¡±

    In the locker room after the game.

    The rest of the team had already showered and left, but Hayden remained seated on the bench, head in hands, gripping his hair tightly as if trying to tear his scalp apart.

    The head coach paced back and forth in front of him, hands on his hips, before losing patience and snapping, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Hayden? Forget about that woman! Why can¡¯t you let her go? If it weren¡¯t for your poor performance in the second half, we could¡¯ve easily crushed the opponent today! You owe this victory to your teammates who covered for you. What do you expect me to tell the owner and your fans?¡±

    Hayden murmured, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before¡ªdon¡¯t ask me to forget her. It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just a woman!¡± the coach yelled in frustration. ¡°You¡¯ve had a privileged upbringing and now a lucrative salary. You could have any woman you want. Why are you hung up on a gold digger?¡±

    Hayden suddenly lifted his head, staring at the coach with a serious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t call Xiao Wan a gold digger. She¡¯s not. I¡¯ve told you this before. Last season, I played well because I was new, and my opponents hadn¡¯t figured me out yet. But by the end, I was struggling. I lost my confidence during the off-season, and it was Xiao Wan who appeared in my life. She encouraged me and trained with me. She¡¯s the reason I improved so much this year!¡±

    The coach sighed, softening slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I misspoke in the heat of the moment. I admit she helped you, but you need to face reality. You two are over. She won¡¯t come back to you, especially since¡­ you¡¯re about to become a father.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my choice!¡± Hayden protested, his tone frantic and full of pain. ¡°That night, my friends invited me out drinking. I didn¡¯t know that woman had set me up. They spiked my drink, and then¡­ then¡­¡±

    ¡°Regardless of the circumstances, Hayden, that cheerleader is carrying your child. You can¡¯t shirk that responsibility.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to shirk responsibility. If the child is mine, I¡¯ll raise them. But why can¡¯t I also have Xiao Wan back? I love her!¡±

    Seeing the rising intensity in Hayden¡¯s eyes, the coach sighed in resignation. ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s no talking sense into you right now.¡± He turned to leave, only to nearly bump into the team¡¯s manager entering the room.

    The manager patted the coach¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll handle him. Go get some rest.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use. He¡¯s not thinking about basketball¡ªjust her,¡± the coach muttered before exiting the locker room.

    Unlike the coach, the manager¡¯s focus was on maximizing the team¡¯s profitability and mitigating any scandals. He clapped Hayden on the shoulder and said, ¡°I think Xiao Wan¡¯s main concern is that woman carrying your child, right? What if I told you I have a way to make the child¡­ disappear?¡±

    [Makeup]

    On the night of the game, when Hayden suddenly lost control and ran onto the court searching for Xiaowan, a video of the moment was uploaded online. It quickly went viral across social media platforms. Overnight, the personal life of this self-proclaimed single and handsome NBA rising star became the hottest topic among basketball fans.

    Speculation abounded about what had happened in the video. Was Hayden heartbroken by that beautiful girl? Major basketball media outlets capitalized on the public¡¯s curiosity and began to dig into everything about Hayden¡¯s personal life. Like Ye Chen, they soon discovered the hidden clues in Hayden¡¯s Instagram posts from over six months ago.

    When they tracked down Lin Xiaowan¡¯s Instagram, they found her life seemed filled with luxury, and she had a group of wealthy suitors vying for her attention. Without investigating Xiaowan¡¯s character, the media quickly labeled her as a skilled gold-digger.

    Subsequently, the narrative of Hayden being deceived by a gold-digger spread like wildfire, landing on major sports news headlines. Media outlets, careful not to cross the line of defamation laws, used ambiguous language to stoke hatred toward Lin Xiaowan while ensuring they could avoid legal repercussions.

    Not long after, the man in the video, Chen Xin, was identified as the president of a subsidiary of a Chinese company listed in the U.S. His affluent background further cemented the public¡¯s perception of Xiaowan as a gold-digger. Furious fans vowed to boycott Chen Xin¡¯s company¡¯s products. When the stock market opened, the company¡¯s shares indeed took a hit due to the controversy.

    However, Chen Xin remained calm amidst the chaos. He continued to manage his company¡¯s affairs steadily and, with strategic measures, reversed the stock price decline by the close of trading.

    By 8 p.m., he returned home as usual. Xiaowan was waiting for him, but she seemed downcast. Chen Xin asked Ellie to prepare a feast for her and spent the evening watching horror movies with her. Yet her mood didn¡¯t seem to improve.

    He thought her sadness stemmed from the online attacks, so he tried to cheer her up. Pointing to the screen where Alien was playing, he said, ¡°Look! The protagonist is about to send the alien into space. Isn¡¯t this your favorite part?¡±

    But Xiaowan wasn¡¯t interested. She rested her head on his lap and rasped, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Chen Xin was taken aback. ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡±

    Xiaowan sniffled and said guiltily, ¡°I saw the news. It seems like my situation has affected your company. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s eyes widened, and after a moment, he softly asked, ¡°So you¡¯ve been upset tonight because you¡¯re worried about me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! What else could it be?¡± Xiaowan pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m mourning the alien¡¯s death!¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled, and a wave of tenderness surged through him. He pulled her into a tight embrace and murmured, ¡°It feels wonderful to have you care about me.¡±

    ¡°Care or not, your company still suffered because of me!¡± Xiaowan punched his chest lightly.

    Chen Xin caught her hand and kissed it gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is nothing to me. I¡¯ve handled far more serious issues before. I promise everything will be fine by the day after tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Xiaowan looked at him hopefully.

    ¡°Really,¡± Chen Xin reassured her. ¡°Actually, the stock price has already stabilized. It¡¯s just the media that¡¯s still stirring things up, but they¡¯re not a threat. Besides, I¡¯m also a shareholder in the team. Their manager won¡¯t dare to offend me and will work to suppress the matter. What about you¡­¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Your Instagram must be flooded with nasty comments. Why didn¡¯t you disable them?¡± Chen Xin caressed her face.

    Xiaowan shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re just words. They don¡¯t hurt me. I just¡­ don¡¯t want to affect you.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Chen Xin chuckled. ¡°Even if you did, I¡¯d handle it. All you need to do is take care of yourself. But I do hope you¡¯ll care about me more and more until you can¡¯t help but fall hopelessly in love with me.¡±

    ¡°Keep dreaming.¡± Xiaowan rolled her eyes but seemed much happier. She grabbed the remote and said, ¡°We didn¡¯t watch the movie properly earlier. Let¡¯s start over!¡±

    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s already midnight¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Start over!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Chen Xin kissed her cheek. ¡°Want some snacks? I¡¯ll get them for you.¡±

    ¡°Vanilla puffs, apple pie, red velvet cake, and truffle chocolates!¡±

    Chen Xin ruffled her hair, laughing. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Three days later, as Chen Xin had predicted, the company¡¯s stock price returned to normal. Yet his primary concern wasn¡¯t business but Xiaowan, who hadn¡¯t attended school in a long time. That morning, after much coaxing, she agreed to let him accompany her to class, but only after he paid a sweet price.

    Xiaowan, still groggy from staying up late watching movies, sat on the bed and ordered Chen Xin to help her wash up. Helpless, he brushed her teeth and washed her face, only to be stumped by her skincare routine.

    ¡°What do I do with all these bottles?¡± Chen Xin muttered, baffled by the complexity of her products.

    Xiaowan chuckled and directed him, ¡°The purple tube. Lather it into foam and apply it to my face.¡±

    Chen Xin diligently followed her instructions, his hands covered in foam.

    Xiaowan burst into laughter at his efforts. ¡°What are you doing? Giving me a bubble bath?¡±

    Blushing, Chen Xin rinsed her face and asked, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Pink gel tube¡ªdab it around my eyes.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°Those three bottles, left to right, tap them lightly onto my face.¡±

    ¡°Done?¡± Chen Xin wiped sweat from his brow.

    ¡°Skincare¡¯s done. Now for makeup.¡± Xiaowan yawned. ¡°But it¡¯s too much trouble for you. Just mascara and lipstick today.¡±

    Chen Xin eyed the mascara wand like it was a weapon. ¡°This goes¡­ on your lashes?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    His hand shook as he held the wand. ¡°I can¡¯t. What if I poke your eye out? This thing is terrifying!¡±

    Xiaowan laughed so hard she rolled on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re so cute!¡±

    ¡°I mean it! Promise me you¡¯ll never wear makeup again¡ªit¡¯s too dangerous!¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Xiaowan smirked mischievously. ¡°But only if you let me do your makeup!¡±

    Thus, when they finally stepped out, Ellie nearly dropped her cleaning cloth upon seeing Chen Xin¡¯s punk-inspired black eye shadow.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look amazing?¡± Xiaowan beamed.

    Ellie stifled a laugh. ¡°Absolutely!¡±

    Chen Xin, resigned, escorted Xiaowan to school. Though reluctant, he couldn¡¯t help but think his lashes did look longer.

 26.New piano

    Late that night, in a lively bar in N City.

    Despite it still being the NBA season, Haydn Shawn was drinking heavily in a private room with his teammates, ignoring the fact that they had a game the next day.

    While the others drank for fun, Haydn drank to drown his sorrows.

    He was fully aware of all the recent online reports about him. He also knew that Xiao Wan, because of him, had her most beloved harp destroyed.

    Haydn still vividly remembered the first time he saw Xiao Wan play that harp. She sat in the classroom wearing a beautiful white dress, her slender, graceful fingers delicately plucking the strings. The magical music flowed out, and though there was no wind, Haydn felt as if her hair and dress were dancing with the melody, so beautiful it almost seemed unreal.

    At that moment, he thought, I must rent the finest theater in America so Xiao Wan can hold a concert just for her.

    But before he could fulfill that dream for her, he was drugged by a cheerleader and ended up with a child he never wanted.

    Now, even knowing how deeply Xiao Wan must be hurting, Haydn couldn¡¯t go to her or comfort her. The team¡¯s manager and everyone around him advised him not to. They said it would damage the positive image he had with fans, harm his career, and even affect the team¡¯s stock prices, upsetting investors.

    Haydn had raged at those trying to stop him, but the result was a complete ban on his social media activity by the team. The manager even assigned two strong bodyguards, claiming they were for his protection but clearly intending to control his movements and prevent him from contacting Xiao Wan, avoiding more negative media exposure.

    The manager tried to persuade him, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked so hard to get into the NBA and build your career. Do you really want to throw it all away on a whim? I know Xiao Wan is important to you, but isn¡¯t basketball just as important? Just hold on for now. Didn¡¯t we agree? I¡¯ll figure out a way to bring Xiao Wan back to you.¡±

    Before meeting Xiao Wan, basketball was indeed the most important thing in Haydn¡¯s life. But now, he was completely lost. If continuing in the NBA meant letting Xiao Wan take the fall, enduring everyone¡¯s criticism and ridicule, could he still claim to love her?

    He was the one at fault! How could he hide in safety while Xiao Wan bore all the blame? Even if the child was gone, would Xiao Wan ever want to return to him? Wouldn¡¯t she hate him?

    These thoughts overwhelmed him until he could no longer suppress his emotions. He excused himself to use the restroom and managed to slip away from the two persistent bodyguards. He planned to find a journalist he knew and reveal the truth to clear Xiao Wan¡¯s name and stop the harm caused to her.

    But as soon as Haydn stepped out the bar¡¯s back door, someone tapped his shoulder. Thinking it was the bodyguards, he turned around, only to see a muscular man with dark brown hair. Just as Haydn found the man familiar, the stranger landed a heavy punch on his nose.

    Briefly blinded by the impact, Haydn staggered and fell into a filthy garbage bin in the corner. As he struggled to stand, the man, as fierce as a bear, pounced on him, raining blows on his face and body. Haydn¡¯s handsome face was soon covered in blood.

    However, years of basketball training had given him quick reflexes. Regaining his composure, he grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and spat out blood before glaring at the angry face. ¡°I remember who you are. You¡¯re Xiao Wan¡¯s ex-boyfriend, the one after me.¡±

    Nathan Brown sneered coldly. ¡°Then you should know why I¡¯m beating you.¡±

    Nathan broke free from Haydn¡¯s grip and attacked with renewed fury. Haydn, seemingly in a trance, sat passively on the dirty ground, letting Nathan pummel him. This attitude enraged Nathan further.

    ¡°Fight back! Fight me, you coward! You hide behind your team¡¯s protection, but what about Xiao Wan? Have you thought about her? Do you know how much that harp meant to her? Do you know how much she¡¯s suffered because of you? If you couldn¡¯t make her happy, why did you get involved with her in the first place?¡±

    With each accusation, Nathan landed another punch on Haydn¡¯s already battered face. When Haydn was unrecognizable, Nathan grabbed a nearby garbage lid and prepared to strike again, but this time Haydn blocked it.

    Wiping the blood streaming from his face, Haydn slowly stood up, as if awakened, and said to Nathan, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m a coward. I didn¡¯t protect her when she needed me most. But who are you to lecture me? If you were so great, why did Xiao Wan break up with you?¡±

    Nathan froze momentarily at Haydn¡¯s words.

    Haydn continued, ¡°I may have lost Xiao Wan, but I was framed. If it weren¡¯t for that child, I¡¯d still be with her. You were just lucky! And now you¡¯re here acting self-righteous. Do you think I wanted things to turn out this way?¡±

    By the end, Haydn was yelling through tears.

    Nathan shouted back, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you wanted! The damage to Xiao Wan is done! What good is your regret now?¡±

    Haydn roared, ¡°Then take those words and throw them right back at yourself!¡±

    Both men raised their fists and struck each other simultaneously, using their fight as an outlet for their anger, guilt, and self-loathing.

    Blood soon stained the ground. Exhausted and injured, neither man would yield, continuing to fight as if proving something to themselves.

    That¡¯s when Leng Qing arrived with his crew.

    Stopping his Harley across the street from the bar¡¯s back door, he coldly observed the brawl. The two men in the alley seemed determined to fight to the death. Leng Qing smirked.

    One of his buddies said, ¡°Huh, looks like someone¡¯s saving you the trouble, Yi-ge.¡±

    Another recognized Nathan and remarked, ¡°Neither of them are any good. Should we take them both out?¡±

    Leng Qing watched the bloody fight for a while before shaking his head. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The group sped away into the night.

    Meanwhile, Nathan and Haydn, utterly drained, finally collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

    Half an hour later, a black sedan quietly pulled into the driveway of Chen Xin¡¯s villa in the dead of night.

    A middle-aged man in a black hat stepped out of the car. His face was cold and stern, with a long scar running down the corner of his eye, exuding an intimidating and menacing aura. He stopped at the villa¡¯s front door and made a call to Chen Xin, but the call was promptly disconnected.

    Two minutes later, Chen Xin, dressed in pajamas, quietly opened the door and stepped out. The man in the black hat immediately nodded respectfully and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Chen, there¡¯s been an unexpected development tonight. The person you instructed me to deal with has already been taken care of by someone else.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Chen Xin frowned and glanced back at the living room before asking, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The man took out his phone and showed Chen Xin a photo he had taken. In the picture, Nathan and Haydn were locked in a fierce fight in an alley. He explained, ¡°By the time I arrived, they were already at each other¡¯s throats. I didn¡¯t intervene for fear of causing too much commotion and drawing attention. I apologize for not completing the task tonight, but I can try again at a later time¡ª¡±

    Chen Xin shook his head slightly. He looked at the bloodied faces of the two men in the photo and curled his lips into a faint smile. ¡°No need. There¡¯s no point dirtying your hands. This outcome is better.¡±

    The man in the black hat nodded.

    ¡°How about the other matter I assigned you?¡± Chen Xin asked calmly.

    The man lowered his head slightly. ¡°That matter¡­ was also intercepted.¡±

    Chen Xin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who? Was it Nathan again?¡±

    ¡°No. This time, it was a friend of Miss Lin from her band,¡± the man replied.

    Chen Xin narrowed his eyes. ¡°Leng Qing?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Last night, he found the woman who destroyed Miss Lin¡¯s harp and used some¡­ effective methods to intimidate her. I believe she won¡¯t dare cause Miss Lin any trouble in the future. Furthermore, Leng Qing was also at the bar tonight. I think he originally intended to teach that basketball star a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Quick, isn¡¯t he?¡± Chen Xin chuckled lightly. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Alright, since that¡¯s the case, I have a new task for you.¡±

    ¡°Please, tell me.¡±

    ¡°Find out everything you can about this Leng Qing,¡± Chen Xin instructed. ¡°But be careful. He¡¯s probably very vigilant, so don¡¯t let him notice he¡¯s being investigated.¡±

    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    Before the man could finish, a voice called out from inside the house: ¡°Xiao Guai, where did you go?¡±

    Chen Xin immediately gestured for the man to leave. The man slipped back into the car and drove off quickly.

    Chen Xin closed the door quietly, composed himself, and adjusted his expression. When he turned around, he saw Xiao Wan rubbing her eyes and walking toward him barefoot. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, ¡°So late¡­ who came to see you?¡±

    Chen Xin walked over, picked her up, and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Nobody important. Don¡¯t worry about it. Why are you awake?¡±

    ¡°I turned over and realized the spot next to me was empty, so I woke up,¡± Xiao Wan murmured, curling up in his arms like a cat. She yawned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel safe when you¡¯re not here. Don¡¯t sneak out at night anymore, okay?¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled. ¡°Then what if I need to use the bathroom?¡±

    ¡°Hold it!¡± Xiao Wan glared at him. ¡°Or you could carry me with you. I can even help you take off your pants.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say,¡± Chen Xin teased, rubbing her cheek as he carried her back to the bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed, lay down beside her, and tucked the blanket around them both.

    ¡°My feet are cold. Warm them for me,¡± Xiao Wan mumbled as she curled up against his chest.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Chen Xin replied. He lifted her slender legs and placed them against his abdomen, gently rubbing her icy feet with his hands.

    Still feeling low, Xiao Wan yawned again and slowly closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

    Chen Xin gazed at her beautiful face, suddenly understanding why countless heroes throughout history were willing to risk everything for the sake of a breathtaking beauty.

    After a moment of silent contemplation, he couldn¡¯t help but softly ask, ¡°Xiao Wan, don¡¯t you always say I¡¯m manipulative and cunning, that I never let you sleep properly?¡±

    ¡°Mm, yeah. Why?¡± Xiao Wan replied groggily, barely able to keep her eyes open.

    ¡°Then which do you prefer¡ªthis gentle me, or the cunning me?¡± Chen Xin gently squeezed her soft feet. ¡°What if I told you I¡¯m not as kind and gentle as I seem on the surface?¡±

    ¡°No matter what you¡¯re like¡­ I¡­¡± Xiao Wan murmured sleepily, ¡°still like you¡­¡±

    Chen Xin froze for a moment, then leaned down to kiss her. He held her tightly in his arms, as if trying to meld her into himself.

    One week later.

    The weather at the end of March was getting warmer, and the flowers and plants in Chen Xin¡¯s garden were sprouting green, looking full of vitality. However, Xiao Wan lay lifelessly on the lawn, plucking off the fresh flower buds one by one from the nearby branches.

    When Chen Xin came home and saw her, he noticed a pile of innocent flower buds and leaves already lying next to her.

    He chuckled helplessly, crouched down, and kissed her cheek.

    ¡°Eh? Why are you home so early today?¡± Xiao Wan asked listlessly.

    Chen Xin smiled with a good mood and replied, ¡°Because I have a gift for you.¡±

    ¡°Not interested.¡± Xiao Wan pouted in boredom. Over the past few days, he¡¯d already given her plenty of things to cheer her up, from limited-edition clothes and handbags to entire sets of diamond jewelry, none of which she cared about.

    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions so quickly.¡± Chen Xin tried to pull her up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back to the house and take a look at this gift.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Xiao Wan stayed rooted to the ground, refusing to budge no matter how much he tried to pull her.

    Chen Xin sighed and scooped her up in a princess carry. Xiao Wan, like a lazy cat, rolled around in his arms. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re so annoying! Can¡¯t you let me enjoy the spring sunshine alone?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re clearly ruining the spring scenery. Alright, let¡¯s check out the gift. I guarantee you¡¯ll like this one.¡± Before she could struggle free, Chen Xin carried her into the living room. ¡°Look over there¡ªwhat¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°What is it? Even if you got me a diamond the size of my head, I¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, Xiao Wan glanced up and froze. Standing before her was a harp. A harp that looked almost identical to the one her grandmother had given her!

    Xiao Wan jumped out of Chen Xin¡¯s arms, rushing to the harp. She gently touched its body with cautious hands. At a glance, she recognized that the strings were from her old harp! Even the wooden pieces were pieced together from fragments of her original harp. To cover the seams, gold patterns of plants had been painted over the joins.

    The original block of wood with her grandmother¡¯s engraved message was still there, but now an additional line had been added below:

    ¡°To my dearest Xiao Wan¡ªfrom Grandma and Chen Xin.¡±

    Xiao Wan stared at the words in a daze, as Chen Xin cautiously spoke beside her, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t mind me adding my name, do you? The harp isn¡¯t fully restored. The craftsman told me that the inner wood was too fragmented to repair, so he used mostly new wood but covered it with the old harp¡¯s veneer to make it look as similar as possible. Most of the strings are from the old harp, but a few that snapped had to be replaced. So, overall, I could only restore about sixty percent of your beloved harp¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Xiao Wan threw herself into his arms.

    Chen Xin let out a sigh of relief and stroked her hair. ¡°I also bought you a brand-new harp, which is already placed at your school so you can use it during classes. I cleared out a room on the first floor for you as a dedicated music room, where we can keep this one safe. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about anyone damaging it again.¡±

    Xiao Wan sniffled and nodded vigorously in his arms.

    Chen Xin smiled. ¡°Alright, feeling better now? Can you smile for me? I haven¡¯t seen you smile in so long.¡±

    Xiao Wan looked up at him with slightly reddened eyes and gave him a gentle smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At that moment, Chen Xin felt that all his recent exhausting efforts had been worth it. He kissed her forehead. ¡°No need to thank me.¡±

    Xiao Wan took a deep breath, and the dimness in her eyes was replaced with renewed vitality. She walked over to the harp and gently embraced it. ¡°Which room is the music room? Hurry up and help me move it in!¡±

    Chen Xin obediently carried the harp to the prepared music room, only to be promptly pushed out by Xiao Wan. ¡°You go out now! I need some time alone with the harp to bond with it. Don¡¯t disturb us, okay?¡±

    Huh? Bond with the harp? What about me? Chen Xin opened his mouth, but helplessly agreed. ¡°Alright.¡±

    After walking a few steps away, he suddenly felt something was off and returned, pushing the door open to look at her suspiciously. ¡°Uh¡­ did you forget to say something to me?¡±

    ¡°What? Thank you? I already said that.¡±

    ¡°No, not that.¡± Chen Xin blushed slightly and cleared his throat. ¡°Something like¡­ ¡®I really want to sleep with you right now,¡¯ for example?¡±

    Xiao Wan gasped in shock, clutching her chest and glaring at him with an accusatory look. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re such a pervert! What nonsense are you spouting in broad daylight? I¡¯m not that desperate, okay!¡±

    ¡­What the hell?

    After receiving the new harp from Chen Xin, Xiao Wan¡¯s mood brightened, like the radiant sunshine of April. She quickly returned to her usual routine: eating, playing with the harp, or taking her dog out to frolic around the villa grounds.

    One morning, Chen Xin reluctantly dragged her out of bed to take her to school. Unexpectedly, the moment they arrived at the school gate, they found themselves the center of attention.

    Strangely, no one was whistling or jeering at Xiao Wan as they used to. Instead, they simply stared at them, their faces filled with odd, complex expressions.

    Even Xiao Wan, who was used to being in the spotlight, felt a shiver run down her spine. She leaned closer to Chen Xin and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them like this before. Something feels off. Do you think they¡¯re planning to gang up and beat us?¡±

    Before Chen Xin could answer, a classmate from Xiao Wan¡¯s class came running toward her, shouting, ¡°Kitty, you¡¯re finally here!¡±

    Xiao Wan tensed up and asked nervously, ¡°What now? Did something happen again? Did someone smash my new harp in the classroom?¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡± The classmate shook her head. ¡°Hurry, Xiao Wan, come with me!¡±

    Bewildered, Xiao Wan and Chen Xin followed the classmate to the school¡¯s bulletin board. Staring at the most prominent announcement, Xiao Wan¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.

    The bold headline read: ¡°An Apology Letter to Lin Xiaowan.¡±

    Below the glaring title was a photo of the girl caught on surveillance smashing Xiao Wan¡¯s harp. In the photo, the girl looked tearful and red-eyed. Beneath the photo was a handwritten apology explaining in detail how she had destroyed Xiao Wan¡¯s harp, her reasons for doing so, and a promise never to repeat her actions.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. She even recorded a tearful apology video and posted it on her Facebook!¡± The classmate showed her phone to Xiao Wan. ¡°It¡¯s been online for days now. Haven¡¯t you seen it?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been on Facebook in ages,¡± Xiao Wan replied, opening the video. In it, the brunette girl sobbed uncontrollably into the camera, repeatedly saying, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Xiao Wan shivered from the intensity of her crying and turned to the classmate. ¡°Wasn¡¯t her dad some big-shot businessman with shares in the school? Didn¡¯t they refuse to apologize? Why the sudden change of heart?¡±

    The classmate shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t know either. But since she posted the video, we all liked it. Look, it already has over five thousand likes. Everyone¡¯s praising her for her heartfelt apology.¡±

    Xiao Wan burst out laughing. Now she understood why so many people had been staring at her earlier. They must think she¡¯s impressive for taking on the school shareholder¡¯s daughter and winning.

    Just as Xiao Wan grabbed Chen Xin to leave, she turned around and saw the very girl from the video standing in front of them, red-eyed and crying.

 27.Apology

    ¡°¡­ What is going on here?¡± Xiao Wan rubbed her aching forehead and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the announcement and video, what more do you want?¡±

    The brown-haired girl trembled as she walked forward, tears streaming down her face, and sincerely said in front of the onlookers, ¡°I must apologize to you in person, Lin Xiao Wan. I know I was wrong. It was an impulsive act, and I¡¯ve always been jealous of you, which led me to do something foolish. I know I can¡¯t fix the harp, but I¡¯ve already given the school the 200,000 USD in compensation, and they will soon transfer it to your account. I hope you can see my sincere apology and forgive me.¡±

    To be honest, Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t forgive the person who had ruined her precious harp in such a short time. But seeing this privileged girl now crying so bitterly, abandoning her pride and dignity, apologizing in front of everyone, Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t bring herself to make the situation worse for her.

    With a helpless shrug, Xiao Wan said, ¡°Fine, fine, I forgive you.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. ¡°Really? You forgive me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Wan replied irritably, ¡°But if you ever try something like this again, I swear, I¡¯ll make your life worse than my harp.¡±

    The girl shivered. For a moment, she was sure she saw the same dark, cold look in Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes as in Leng Qing¡¯s ¡ª that deep, icy darkness. She quickly said, ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. I promise, I won¡¯t dare!¡± Then she turned and ran away.

    ¡°This is so weird¡­¡± Xiao Wan muttered as she watched the girl¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°How could this proud young lady suddenly lower herself to apologize to me? Unless¡­¡±

    ¡°Unless what?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes widened as a thought struck her. She turned to Chen Xin and said, ¡°Xiao Guai, go ahead and play the harp in the classroom for me. I¡¯ve got something to take care of. I¡¯ll be right there once I¡¯m done.¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry. ¡°I can¡¯t play the harp!¡±

    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re my boyfriend. Just sit there and strum it a bit. Everyone will think you¡¯re me,¡± Xiao Wan pushed him. ¡°Hurry up! Or you¡¯ll be late!¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one telling you that?¡± Chen Xin said helplessly, but eventually resigned himself and went to class on her behalf.

    After he left, Xiao Wan turned and walked in the other direction. She made her way to a large sculpture in a secluded corner of the school, and sure enough, she found the brown-haired girl standing there. Trembling, the girl begged the person behind the sculpture, ¡°I apologized to her. She forgave me. Many people can vouch for it. Can you please spare me and my family now? My father is already in the hospital because of the people you sent. I really know I was wrong. Please, I beg you to let us go.¡±

    After a long pause, Xiao Wan finally heard Leng Qing¡¯s cold voice from behind the sculpture, ¡°Mm, do what you must.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I will never try to hurt Lin Xiao Wan again!¡± The girl hurriedly said, breathing a sigh of relief, and then, like escaping from a demon, she ran away.

    Once the brown-haired girl was far enough, Xiao Wan raised the bag in her hand and walked around the sculpture without a word, smashing it onto Leng Qing¡¯s head. At first, he tried to block it, but when he saw it was her, he obediently lowered his hand.

    ¡°Are you crazy?! It¡¯s one thing to have her apologize, but did you have to make such a big deal out of it? She cried like that, and people who don¡¯t know might think I was going to kill her entire family! And you even went to scare her dad! What the hell are you trying to do?!¡± Xiao Wan shouted as she punched and kicked Leng Qing, who just stood there and let her.

    After venting, Xiao Wan finally calmed down a little. Hands on her hips, she glared at Leng Qing. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do something this stupid because of me again, got it?¡±

    Leng Qing nodded.

    Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but slap him again, fuming, ¡°You always promise so easily, but you never follow through! Are you trying to piss me off and inherit my harp or something?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said.

    ¡°Then why? Tell me, how did you scare her this time? You didn¡¯t hit her, did you?¡±

    Leng Qing shook his head. ¡°No, I just smashed her car window.¡±

    ¡°¡®Just¡¯ smashed her car window? Oh, judging by your tone, you seem quite generous?¡± Xiao Wan kicked him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. What if that brother of yours in the country makes a fuss about it? Then everything you have¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Leng Qing interrupted calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted those shares or properties anyway.¡±

    ¡°But I care.¡± Xiao Wan said urgently. ¡°I want you to live a good life, wearing a suit and working on Wall Street every day, not like this.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I want.¡± Leng Qing raised his eyes and looked at her firmly. ¡°You also know that what I¡¯ve always wanted is just you.¡±

    A hint of helplessness flashed in Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Silly little Yi, you¡¯re only in your early twenties. In a few years, when you look back on this time, you¡¯ll realize how childish you were. Forget what you want; you can¡¯t have it.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Leng Qing asked. ¡°Have you really fallen in love with Chen Xin?¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with him.¡± Xiao Wan scratched her head and chuckled lightly. ¡°Do you know what wish I made last Christmas? I wished I could die before I turn 25. There are only a few years left, so you must forget about me before that.¡±

    After saying that, she did what they used to do when they were eighteen, reaching out to ruffle Leng Qing¡¯s hair before turning and waving as she walked away.

    <ul>

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    When Xiao Wan arrived at the harp classroom door, she heard Professor Tom scolding someone with his deep voice. ¡°No, no! Your feet should be here! Your posture is wrong too, it¡¯s not graceful at all! Are you trying to play the harp, or are you going to commit suicide with it?¡±

    Strange, Professor Tom had been teaching them for nearly three years, so no one should still be making such basic mistakes. Curious, Xiao Wan pushed the door open slightly, only to realize what she had just done.

    Chen Xin was sitting next to her harp, sweating as he tried to adjust his posture according to Professor Tom¡¯s instructions. But no matter how hard he tried, the professor seemed to be constantly dissatisfied.

    Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and peek through the door. One of the students noticed her and she quickly put her finger to her lips, signaling for quiet, then snickered while watching Chen Xin being scolded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pluck the strings so hard, you think you¡¯re Wolverine?¡±

    Chen Xin quickly softened his touch, but to his surprise, Professor Tom was still unhappy. ¡°So light, are you playing for the mosquitoes in the air? Honestly, didn¡¯t you say you had a musical background? I think you¡¯re lying!¡±

    Chen Xin helplessly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. I told you I only know how to play the guitar. I also told you I¡¯m not Xiao Wan. Please, can you let me go?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Professor Tom huffed. ¡°Xiao Wan will definitely become the best harp artist in the world. And you¡¯re her boyfriend. You don¡¯t even know the basics of the harp. Do you want me to make her break up with you?¡±

    Chen Xin had no choice but to continue with the lessons, looking pitiful and slightly aggrieved. Xiao Wan, watching from the door, couldn¡¯t help but clutch her chest. Oh, she really liked seeing him being bullied! If he could cry pitifully, that would be even better. It would definitely make her feel extremely satisfied!

    But she didn¡¯t wait for him to cry. Instead, she accidentally made the door creak, and all the students turned to look at her. She quickly wiped the excited expression off her face, becoming serious and walking in. ¡°I¡¯m here for class, sorry I¡¯m late.¡±

    Professor Tom immediately pointed at Chen Xin and said, ¡°The boyfriend you found is terrible. He has no talent for the harp at all. You¡¯d better break up with him before you have kids. They won¡¯t inherit your talent. The loss is just too big!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, old man, stop worrying about other people¡¯s love lives.¡± Xiao Wan waved her hand and walked over to pull Chen Xin up, patting his head. ¡°Poor little Yi, you¡¯ve suffered. I feel so sorry for you! Go sit over there and wait for me.¡±

    Chen Xin looked at the mischievous woman in front of him, with an expression that couldn¡¯t hide her gloating. It was clear she didn¡¯t feel sorry for him. Did she think he didn¡¯t notice her laughing outside the door just now?The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He gave her a helpless and tolerant glance before walking to the chair designated for him as her boyfriend and sitting down.

    The class quickly ended. As the students left, Professor Tom stopped Xiao Wan and asked, ¡°Have you thought about the matter I mentioned before?¡±

    Xiao Wan pursed her lips. ¡°Not interested.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a child. I know you have talent, but if you don¡¯t work hard to showcase it, it will eventually fade away.¡±

    ¡°Blah blah blah, I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Xiao Wan plugged her ears, pulling Chen Xin out of the classroom. ¡°Little Yi, let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    Behind them, Professor Tom called out reluctantly. Chen Xin, curious, asked, ¡°What did your teacher say to you?¡±

    Xiao Wan replied indifferently, ¡°He wants me to compose music. But I don¡¯t want to do something so meaningless.¡±

    ¡°How can composing be meaningless? The beautiful, timeless songs are written by people like you,¡± Chen Xin quickly persuaded. ¡°Maybe you should give it a try.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, I have no inspiration,¡± Xiao Wan pouted. ¡°I only have inspiration for one thing. Do you know what it is?¡±

    Chen Xin was unprepared and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Xiao Wan suddenly tiptoed and gently bit his earlobe, saying in a husky voice, ¡°Sex.¡±

    Before Chen Xin could react, she laughed playfully and ran off.

    Chen Xin stood frozen, touching his burning ears, helplessly chasing after her.

    After having lunch at school, Xiao Wan insisted on going home. Chen Xin had no choice but to agree. Just as they reached the school gate, a black-haired white woman with a large belly suddenly stepped out of an inconspicuous car.

    Xiao Wan glanced at her and froze, secretly cursing in anger: What kind of day is this? Why are all these annoying people showing up one after another?

    As the white woman walked briskly towards her, Xiao Wan turned to leave. But in the next moment, the woman suddenly stood with her belly out and knelt in front of Xiao Wan.

    Chen Xin immediately stepped in front of Xiao Wan, furrowing his brows and looking at the woman. ¡°Ma¡¯am, what are you doing? Whatever it is, please stand up first.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t stand up. Please, help me stop Miss Lin. I have a lot to say to her, please!¡±

    She¡¯s here for Xiao Wan? Chen Xin quickly turned to ask Xiao Wan, ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Xiao Wan replied, looking down and playing with her nails, speaking coldly, ¡°She¡¯s the one who made me and Hayden break up and tried to force a marriage with a child to climb the social ladder. I think her name is Elsa, right? What are you doing here, not preparing for your wedding? You think I¡¯ll give you a wedding gift just because you think I was cheated on?¡±

    Elsa, with tearful eyes, said, ¡°Miss Lin, I know I made many mistakes to be with Hayden. But now, I must beg you to help me. Even if you don¡¯t help me, please help my baby. Because Hayden¡¯s team manager¡­ he wants to kill me!¡±

    Xiao Wan froze for a moment, then sneered and clapped her hands, saying, ¡°Really? That¡¯s quite a delightful piece of news! You know, in China, we have a custom of celebrating good news with firecrackers. If only you weren¡¯t in this backwater place where they¡¯re not sold, I would set off 180 strings of them!¡±

    Elsa looked at her pitifully, tears streaming down her face. ¡°You say that, but I know you don¡¯t really mean it. Back when I watched Hayden train at the team, he always spoke so kindly of you. I believe everything he said about you. I also know I¡¯ve wronged you. You can do whatever you want to me, as long as¡­ as long as you help my baby!¡±

    Xiao Wan replied coldly, ¡°If you want to save the baby, go find the father. Do I look like the father to you?¡±

    ¡°Hayden refuses to see me! Ever since he found out that we had that night together because I drugged his drink, he won¡¯t even look at me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here begging you. Please, just pass a message to Hayden, for the baby¡¯s sake, to stop the manager from chasing after me!¡± Elsa cried. ¡°Strange people have been showing up around my house recently. I¡¯m living in constant fear, and I can¡¯t take it anymore! I really know I was wrong. If you just tell Hayden, I¡¯ll promise to leave him! Right now, I just want to raise the baby inside me well.¡±

    Xiao Wan sneered, ¡°Wow, you really paint yourself as a hero! So, you drugged his drink just to raise this child, and not because you were eyeing his family¡¯s company and his $12 million annual salary?¡±

    Here is the translation of your text:

    Aisha lowered her head in shame. ¡°I admit my motives were not pure. You¡­ you must understand, I¡¯m already quite old for a cheerleader, I have to find someone to rely on, otherwise, what will I do after I retire? Many of the girls in the team do the same. I just wanted some money, but I didn¡¯t expect to cause such serious harm to your relationship with Hayden. And now that I¡¯m pregnant, you wouldn¡¯t understand, but when you know there¡¯s a little life inside you, your thoughts change. Now, all I want is to raise this child¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about how I¡¯ve never been a mother,¡± Xiao Wan interrupted through gritted teeth. ¡°Even if I never have children in this life, I¡¯m still more qualified to be a mother than you! A woman like you, full of scheming, what kind of good person could you raise? And now, you dare come to me, the victim of your betrayal, asking me to help you reconcile with Hayden. Do you think I¡¯m that cheap?¡±

    Aisha choked up and looked at Xiao Wan in despair. Knowing there was no hope, she slowly stood up and walked away. ¡°Sorry, Miss Lin, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    Xiao Wan watched as Aisha carefully protected her belly while walking down the stairs. She closed her eyes in disgust, both at Aisha and herself, and then spoke, ¡°Stop.¡±

    Aisha turned around with hope in her eyes. ¡°Miss Lin?¡±

    Xiao Wan walked towards her and stood in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. With a cold look in her eyes, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t help you find Hayden. But I have another proposal that could let you live a happy life in the future. Do you want to hear it?¡±

    Aisha nodded in confusion.

    ¡°The proposal is simple. I¡¯ll give you $20 million¡ªbelieve me, I can get that much money. Once you have it, you¡¯ll never have to rely on a man again, but I need you to give something up, like the child in your belly.¡± Xiao Wan stared at her coldly. ¡°I could push you down these stairs right now, and you¡¯d get the $20 million. How does that sound? A child for $20 million. A good deal, right?¡±

    Aisha looked at her in shock and immediately shook her head, cautiously stepping aside. ¡°Sorry, Miss Lin, I can¡¯t do that. I really have feelings for this child.¡±

    Xiao Wan coldly scrutinized her expression, studying how she was holding her belly. After confirming that this woman wasn¡¯t just acting, she let out a bitter laugh.

    Sighing, she softly said, ¡°Go, I¡¯ll talk to Hayden.¡±

    Aisha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Really? I¡­ I can¡¯t believe it. Thank you so much, Miss Lin! I promise I won¡¯t bother Hayden again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± Xiao Wan said seriously. ¡°I just hope you raise this child well. Let him go to college, get a decent job, and be an upright person, not like you¡ªscheming and taking shortcuts.¡±

    Aisha nodded vigorously, tears in her eyes. ¡°I will, I will. I knew you were a kind person, Miss Lin.¡±

    Xiao Wan¡¯s heart was pierced by that word, and she couldn¡¯t help but curse angrily, ¡°Kind? F*ck kindness! If being kind means being betrayed by someone like you, then all kind people should just die! Get out of here and stop acting like you¡¯re a saint!¡±

    Aisha quickly got into her car and left, while Xiao Wan stood there, her chest heaving with anger. Chen Xin, who had been standing by silently, walked over and gently embraced her.

    In his arms, Xiao Wan¡¯s voice trembled with a sob. ¡°I hate myself so much right now! I feel so disgusting! She¡¯s the one who made me break up with Hayden, and I still helped her! Do you think I¡¯m just born to be a doormat?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Chen Xin said softly. ¡°That woman chose to do bad things to achieve her own goals, but you chose to do the right thing.¡±

    Xiao Wan twisted his arm in frustration. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do the right thing! Do you know how badly I wanted to actually push her down just now?¡±

    ¡°I understand, anyone would have such thoughts. But having those thoughts doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll act on them.¡± Chen Xin gently cupped her face. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like hearing this, but I love the kindness and warmth you hide beneath your sharp exterior.¡±

    Xiao Wan angrily hit him, and Chen Xin let her vent her frustration and sadness on him. After a while, she calmed down, and Chen Xin leaned down to kiss her forehead. ¡°Not angry anymore? Let¡¯s go home, I¡¯ll cook for you.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Xiao Wan sniffled as they got into the car. On the way, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So¡­ I really have to see Hayden?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you two should clear things up.¡± Chen Xin said gently and naturally, ¡°I fully support you going.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± Xiao Wan asked.

    Chen Xin smiled and shook his head. ¡°Although I really want to fight that guy, the things you need to talk about are important, so I won¡¯t interfere. Xiao Wan, remember my words, I will always believe in you, so don¡¯t worry about me overthinking just because you¡¯re going to meet your ex-boyfriend.¡±

    Xiao Wan nodded, touched, and hugged him tightly, kissing him on the cheek.

    The meeting with Hayden was set for three days later, at a high-end members-only restaurant in N City, a place Xiao Wan and he used to visit often when they were still together.

    Xiao Wan originally didn¡¯t want to go there, as it might bring back old emotions. However, Hayden insisted on meeting there. Xiao Wan also couldn¡¯t treat the matter lightly, as she had something important to ask him. She thought that the restaurant would be private and quiet enough for them to talk without journalists following them, so she agreed.

    That evening, she drove to the restaurant and walked in with the help of the waiter. Looking at the familiar surroundings, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. Hayden was sitting in their usual spot by the window, dressed in a very formal suit. His medium-length hair was styled with wax, neatly combed back, making him look like a groom preparing for a wedding.

    But his face had bruises and his lips had a scab, and his right hand was wrapped in a bandage.

    Xiao Wan closed her eyes for a moment, then walked steadily to him. ¡°Hayden.¡±

    Seeing her, the man, who looked dejected, suddenly had a spark in his dull eyes. He hurriedly stood up, pulled out a chair for Xiao Wan, and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you had arrived? I would have come down to greet you.¡±

    ¡°Why bother? We¡¯re already separated.¡± Xiao Wan said calmly.

    Her words immediately pierced Hayden¡¯s heart. He was a sentimental person, and his eyes instantly turned red. He reached out to grab Xiao Wan¡¯s hand, but halfway through, he withdrew it, his gaze filled with pleading. ¡°Xiao Wan, I know you might not believe what I¡¯m about to say, but¡­ but the reason I slept with that woman is because she spiked my drink¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know. She spiked your drink. I knew already.¡± Xiao Wan looked him in the eye.

    Hayden stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Then¡­ why¡­ why won¡¯t you forgive me?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t not forgiven you.¡± Xiao Wan tightened her fist. ¡°But by the time I found out, that cheerleader was already pregnant. What good would it do for me to forgive you? You¡¯re going to be a father soon.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but it was all part of her scheme! You and I are both victims! Since you already forgave me, is it because of the child that you¡¯re not willing to come back to me?¡± Hayden asked urgently.

    Xiao Wan shook her head. ¡°No, Hayden. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡±

    These words hit Hayden like a ton of bricks, crushing all his hope. He collapsed back into the chair, unable to move.

    Xiao Wan rubbed her eyes and stared out at the night view. ¡°We¡¯ve been apart for too long. I don¡¯t want to ruin the relationship between you and the child in the future, so I¡¯ve chosen to let go.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s only about the child, I can send him far away, and you never have to see him again. Wouldn¡¯t that be fine?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Why should you do that to him? He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong!¡± Xiao Wan said seriously. ¡°You should know that I grew up in a family where I wasn¡¯t loved. You were someone I once loved. Even though I dislike children, I don¡¯t want your child to start life unhappy. That would make me feel guilty.¡±

    Hayden, filled with despair, covered his eyes. ¡°Why is this happening? Fate just played a small joke on us, and now you¡¯re giving up everything?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just that cold-hearted bitch. You should have known by now.¡± Xiao Wan forced herself to speak coldly. ¡°Now, let¡¯s stop dwelling on the past. It¡¯s meaningless. I came here today to ask you one thing. Did you send your team manager to threaten Aisha, to kill her?¡±

 28.farewell

    Hayden raised his head in confusion and surprise, ¡°Kill her? How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°She came to me in person, crying and saying that someone was waiting outside her house every day to kill her. I want to know, is this your idea, or did your manager decide to do this on his own?¡±

    ¡°She came to find you? How could she do that? I already gave her so much money, and she promised me that she would never disturb you!¡± Hayden said angrily.

    ¡°Forget about that for now, just tell me¡ªdoes this killing plan have anything to do with you?¡± Xiaowan grabbed his arm tightly, staring at him with determination. ¡°I want to know if the man I once loved has turned into a ruthless bastard who would stop at nothing to get what he wants!¡±

    The man she once loved? Hayden¡¯s eyes reddened again as he shook his head vigorously. ¡°Of course not. The manager only suggested that I give Aisha a large sum of money and have her abort the baby, hoping that you would come back to me. I left it to him to handle, and I didn¡¯t expect him to escalate it to this extent.¡±

    At this point, both of them understood. It must have been the team¡¯s manager who approached Aisha, but since she refused to give up the child, the manager resorted to more extreme measures.

    Hayden continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiaowan. I¡¯ll talk to the manager and make sure he doesn¡¯t do anything stupid to Aisha. I may not like her or her baby, but I¡¯m not heartless enough to go that far.¡±

    Xiaowan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. But it¡¯s still not enough. You need to learn to love your child, to be a good father. Most importantly, you need to get yourself together, get back to playing basketball. You haven¡¯t played since the last time we saw each other at the court. What¡¯s going on? Is it because of your injuries?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just some minor injuries, nothing serious,¡± Hayden said, looking at her gratefully. ¡°You still care about my games?¡±

    Xiaowan paused before replying, ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m worried that after seeing me, you won¡¯t be able to focus on playing well. But now, you¡¯re not even playing at all. Hayden, you¡¯ve made me carry so many burdens, insults, and things that I shouldn¡¯t have had to bear. Can I ask you to pull yourself together, show your fans your true strength, and let me finally free myself from your shadow?¡±

    Hayden, holding back his pain, nodded vigorously, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°I will. I promise I¡¯ll recover quickly, and I¡¯ll never let you get hurt because of me again.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up. You can¡¯t hurt me anymore,¡± Xiaowan took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve said everything we needed to. You can go now. Hurry up and take care of Aisha¡¯s situation, or your manager might do something irreversible. Goodbye.¡±

    The way she said ¡°goodbye¡± was heavy, and Hayden heard the finality in it. He rubbed his eyes, holding back tears, then stood up.

    ¡°Before I go, Xiaowan, I want to ask you¡­ do you remember how we first met?¡± Hayden¡¯s once bright blue eyes were filled with tears, but he forced a smile as he asked.

    Xiaowan looked at him for a moment, then gave a faint smile. ¡°Of course I remember. It was the game between your team and the Blue Zheng team. During halftime, you were practicing shooting three-pointers, but suddenly you saw me on the sidelines. The ball you were holding hit the rim, and then it bounced back and hit you in the head. You sat down hard on the ground, and the whole crowd laughed.¡±

    Hayden lowered his head and laughed, ¡°Yeah, at that moment, the only thing on my mind was that I had to marry that girl. And I still think the same now. I always will. Goodbye, Xiaowan.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Xiaowan said hoarsely, watching his tall, strong figure fade away from her life, never to appear again.

    A moment later, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and buried her face in her arm. The beautiful memories of her time with Hayden gently slid into her mind, like a tragic silk ribbon¡ª

    It was in March of last year. At that time, Xiaowan had just broken up with her previous boyfriend two weeks ago, and she was feeling very down. Her bandmate, Maggie, suggested they go watch an NBA game together to cheer her up. Xiaowan, curious, asked, ¡°You never watched these games before, why the sudden interest?¡±

    Maggie blushed and stammered, saying that she had a favorite player on the drone team and wanted to see him play in person. Xiaowan naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse her friend¡¯s request, so she spent a lot of money buying three expensive court-side tickets to get closer to the player Maggie liked.

    Originally, she had planned to buy four tickets and invite Pine and Lengqing along, but during that time, Lengqing¡¯s mysterious father came to the U.S. to find him, and since Lengqing didn¡¯t want to see him, he hid away. In the end, only the three of them went to the game.

    The atmosphere on the game day was lively. Everyone knew that the drone team¡¯s NBA rankings had been at the bottom for the past few years, so the local fans didn¡¯t pay much attention to their team. Every time there was a game, if the court was filled to one-third capacity, the organizers would pop champagne to celebrate.

    However, this year, the team¡¯s manager decided to make a big push and recruited a very talented first-round draft pick, Hayden Shawn. At first, people were skeptical, thinking he was overpaid for his ability, but soon, he silenced those critics with his performance. In his debut game, he scored 56 points on his own and created many assists for his teammates, helping the team win 109-78. In every following game, Hayden performed exceptionally well, leading the team to a nine-game winning streak, a great achievement for a team that couldn¡¯t even make it into the playoffs before.

    N City¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t help but get excited, feeling that Hayden had saved their local team and was their new hope. Everyone flocked to watch him play, and for the first time, the tickets for the drone team were in such high demand that it became nearly impossible to get one.

    In this situation, Xiao Wan naturally thought that the star Marqi liked must be Hayden Shawn. So when the players entered the court, she poked Marqi¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Hey, your idol is out.¡±

    Marqi, blushing, shook her head. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not here to see Hayden.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Xiao Wan raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Then who are you here to see?¡±

    Marqi, embarrassed, quickly pointed at the black-and-white mixed-race player standing next to Hayden and quietly said, ¡°I¡¯m here to see him.¡±

    Xiao Wan, who hadn¡¯t watched the game before, quickly searched for the player¡¯s name on the screen above, finally spotting it¡ªArnold. He had been recruited along with Hayden and was his right-hand man on the team, a supporting player. Although Arnold wasn¡¯t as dazzling as Hayden, it was clear that he was a reliable, low-key type, and he had a calm and handsome appearance.

    Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but pat Marqi on the back and smiled, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve got good taste. A steady man like that is reliable. Pai En, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m right?¡±

    However, Pai En, sitting next to her, frowned and sulked, resting his chin in his hand. ¡°How can you tell from just one glance? Maybe this guy¡¯s steadiness is all an act.¡±

    Xiao Wan looked at Pai En thoughtfully, then glanced at Marqi and immediately understood what was happening¡ªOh my god, Pai En had fallen for Marqi! When did this happen? It was all her fault for becoming so out of touch with the band when she was in relationships, and now this huge thing had happened without her knowing!

    To be honest, Xiao Wan thought that Marqi and Pai En would be a great couple. After all, they¡¯d known each other for so long and understood each other well. Xiao Wan believed Pai En was a good man who could take care of Marqi. But love wasn¡¯t about fitting together based on someone else¡¯s opinion, and Marqi might not feel the same way. So she didn¡¯t say much, letting Marqi decide for herself.

    At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about Marqi¡¯s feelings. Arnold was an NBA star, and they lived in entirely different worlds, with no intersection between their lives. How would Marqi ever get to know Arnold?

    As Xiao Wan was deep in thought, the opportunity suddenly came running toward her.

    During the halftime break, the drone team players were warming up on the court. Several teammates decided to have a shooting contest to see who could make the most accurate three-point shots, so one by one, they began shooting.

    When it was Arnold¡¯s turn, Marqi couldn¡¯t help but nervously grip Xiao Wan¡¯s wrist. She watched as the ball flew into the basket and sighed in relief, quietly saying to Arnold, ¡°That was amazing.¡±

    ¡°Speak up, he can¡¯t hear you like that.¡± Xiao Wan patted her back and whistled, shouting, ¡°Arnold!¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Then she quickly crouched down behind Marqi.

    When Arnold heard someone call his name, he looked toward the sideline and naturally saw Marqi. She blushed and mustered up the courage to shout, ¡°Arnold! You¡¯re amazing!¡±

    He simply nodded politely in her direction before turning back to continue practicing.

    Marqi¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment. Xiao Wan noticed that Arnold had ignored her friend and immediately got angry. She whistled again, ¡°Hey!¡±

    However, Arnold didn¡¯t hear her, but Hayden, who was walking over to take a shot, did. He casually glanced toward Xiao Wan, then turned his attention back to the basket. But just as he was about to shoot, he suddenly seemed to come to his senses, staring intently at Xiao Wan with his striking blue eyes.

    Xiao Wan was momentarily taken aback by his gaze, wondering why his expression looked so startled. Hayden, still in the shooting stance, continued to stare at her without moving.

    It wasn¡¯t until a teammate called out to him, ¡°Hayden, are you scared to compete?¡± that he snapped out of it. He hurriedly tossed the ball toward the basket, but it hit the rim and bounced back, smacking him in the face.

    There was a loud ¡°thud,¡± and the 1.98-meter-tall figure was knocked back more than two meters, stumbling before sitting down on the ground.

    The crowd erupted in laughter, as it¡¯s common for players to fall during a game due to collisions, but for Hayden to miss a three-point shot and fall over was rather comical.

    Embarrassed by the laughter, Hayden smiled awkwardly. However, after standing up, he continued to stare at Xiao Wan with those captivating eyes.

    Having dealt with many men, Xiao Wan quickly understood the intensity in Hayden¡¯s gaze. She rolled her eyes and gave him the finger, silently telling him, ¡°Stop staring and play your game.¡±

    Hayden, embarrassed, scratched his head and hurriedly went back to warming up.

    Soon after, the second half of the game began. Hayden entered the court with even more determination than before, leading the team in attack. Within a few minutes, he had scored several points, and the fans cheered excitedly. Although Xiao Wan didn¡¯t know much about basketball, she could sense that Hayden¡¯s charm had communicated the beauty and excitement of the game to everyone in the arena.

    Even her own downcast mood gradually lifted, thanks to his smooth, charismatic shots.

    By the end of the game, Hayden once again led the team to victory. The entire arena erupted in cheers, and fans seemed to believe that with Hayden in this form, the NBA championship would undoubtedly belong to the drone team this year, a team that had never won the championship in its history.

    The fans didn¡¯t want to leave and kept chanting Hayden¡¯s name. Xiao Wan, however, wasn¡¯t in the mood and left with Marqi and Pai En early. Since Arnold hadn¡¯t responded to Marqi, her spirits had been low the entire time.

    Xiao Wan comforted her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. If you really like him, I can help you get his contact information.¡±

    Marqi shook her head, feeling down. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m too ordinary. Someone as amazing as him would never look at me. Xiao Wan, if only I were as beautiful and radiant as you.¡±

    ¡°Silly girl, stop saying that! Who says you¡¯re ordinary?¡± Xiao Wan pinched her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re so kind and lovely; in my eyes, you¡¯re the most beautiful and dazzling!¡±

    Pai En quickly joined in, saying, ¡°Exactly! Marqi¡­ Marqi, you¡¯re the best! That NBA star has no taste. We won¡¯t care about him! There will be¡­ there will be a good man who¡¯ll take care of you for a lifetime.¡±

    At the last part, Pai En blushed, but Marqi, oblivious to his unusual expression, felt encouraged by her friends¡¯ support.

    Just as Xiao Wan was about to take them out for a late-night snack, she suddenly heard a car horn from behind.

    She turned around and saw a Lamborghini slowly driving toward her. The person in the car stepped out, and the tall and handsome figure of Haydn Shawn appeared in front of the three of them.

    Maqi couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, and exchanged a look with Paen. They immediately guessed that he must be here to find Xiaowan.

    The two of them discreetly stepped back a few paces, making space for Xiaowan.

    ¡°U-um, excuse me, miss, h-hi, I am¡ª¡± Haydn stammered in his self-introduction.

    Xiaowan smirked and interrupted him, ¡°I know who you are. Aren¡¯t you the idiot who just hit your own head with the ball?¡±

    Haydn froze for a moment, then laughed charmingly, blushing slightly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. I know you might not believe it, but when I saw you on the court just now, my mind went blank and all I could think about was your face, that¡¯s why I¡­ um, acted so awkwardly. Anyway, let me formally introduce myself. Hello, I¡¯m Haydn Shawn, 23 years old, a graduate of the University of Texas, and currently a small forward for the N City Drone team.¡±

    Xiaowan responded confidently, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, 20 years old, a student at the N City Academy of Arts and Media, and my side hustle is being a street singer.¡±

    ¡°A street singer? You¡¯re amazing, I can¡¯t sing at all.¡± Haydn looked at Xiaowan¡¯s bright blue eyes, filled with admiration. ¡°I know this might be sudden, but¡­ would it be possible for me to invite you for a late-night snack?¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at her watch and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too late, and I¡¯ll gain weight if I eat late.¡±

    Paen and Maqi immediately teased from behind, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, big star! She won¡¯t sleep until she eats ten roasted chickens every night!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s such a foodie!¡±

    Xiaowan quickly turned around and glared at them, signaling with her eyes, ¡°Stop messing with me!¡±

    Maqi and Paen immediately fell silent but couldn¡¯t hold back their smiles.

    Xiaowan fixed her hair, then looked back at Haydn, who seemed nervous, and said, ¡°Never mind the late-night snack, but I don¡¯t mind going to see a late-night movie.¡±

    ¡°A movie? S-sure! No problem! I love watching movies too!¡± Haydn quickly moved to open the car door for her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I know a cinema with a great atmosphere.¡±

    Xiaowan sat in the car and leaned against the window, calling out to Paen, ¡°Take care of Maqi, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry! Forget about the previous guy and go enjoy your love life!¡± Paen shouted back.

    Xiaowan gave them a helpless glance, fastened her seatbelt, and turned to Haydn. ¡°Let¡¯s go, big star.¡±

    On the way to the cinema, the two chatted casually. Xiaowan had intended to ask Haydn for Arnold¡¯s contact information, but Haydn told her that Arnold had a long-term girlfriend. Upon hearing this, Xiaowan gave up on the idea and began to observe the man beside her.

    Her keen sense soon detected something different about Haydn. It¡¯s well known that many NBA players, while passionate about basketball, enter the fiercely competitive league primarily due to financial struggles, aiming to earn money for their families. But Xiaowan didn¡¯t sense that desperation in Haydn. He seemed to live comfortably, even though he wore high-end brands, he didn¡¯t flaunt them like other stars and appeared very natural.

    So, she asked, ¡°Your family must be well-off, right? NBA is so tough, doesn¡¯t your family worry about you and try to stop you?¡±

    Haydn smiled. ¡°Not at all. My parents have always supported whatever I do. They said if I love basketball, I should do my best and show them some results.¡±

    Xiaowan couldn¡¯t help but think of something, her gaze dimmed, and she quietly asked, ¡°They support you no matter what? What if you dated a gold digger, would they still be okay with it?¡±

    Haydn turned to her, confused. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    Xiaowan answered expressionlessly, ¡°Because I am a gold digger. I broke up with my last boyfriend because his mother looked down on people like me. So if you want to pursue me, I think you should know that.¡±

    Haydn suddenly slammed the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road.

    Xiaowan¡¯s heart sank, thinking he was going to kick her out of the car. But the next moment, he placed his hand firmly on her shoulder and said with determination, ¡°If she¡¯s a girl I like, I wouldn¡¯t mind whether she¡¯s a gold digger. But I can see that you¡¯re not as bad as you say you are. Please believe me, neither I nor my family will judge you like your ex¡¯s family did.¡±

    Xiaowan stared at him for a few seconds, then pushed his hand away and said, somewhat annoyed, ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a few minutes, what do you know about me? You¡¯re probably just trying to get me into bed tonight, pretending to be mature and saying all these nice things.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what? No, no! I admit I was a bit hasty inviting you for a late-night snack, but I never intended to treat you so frivolously!¡±

    Xiaowan gave him a sideways glance, ¡°Oh, so you mean you weren¡¯t planning to sleep with me then?¡±

    ¡°Of course I want¡ªno, no, I mean, I¡¯m a man, of course, I¡¯d want that¡­ but not now¡­ not tonight¡­¡±

    Seeing Haydn fumbling, his handsome face turning red like a tomato, Xiaowan finally laughed out loud. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t make it hard for you, let¡¯s just drive or we¡¯ll miss the movie.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Haydn sighed in relief and quickly started the car again.

    A little while later, they arrived at the cinema Haydn had mentioned. As they got out of the car, Xiaowan curiously asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to wear sunglasses or disguise yourself? What if your fans recognize you?¡±

    Haydn scratched his head and laughed, ¡°No need, I¡¯m not that famous yet, no one really recognizes me on the street.¡±

    Here¡¯s the translation of the text you provided:

    ¡°Really? But I think it won¡¯t be long before you become the most famous NBA star,¡± Xiao Wan said while walking up to the ticket machine, and added, ¡°Come over and buy the tickets, what are you waiting for? As a gold digger, I won¡¯t be paying for the tickets.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about yourself,¡± Hayden looked at her helplessly and with pity, then walked over and asked, ¡°What movie do you want to see?¡±

    ¡°Alien,¡± Xiao Wan replied. ¡°At night, it¡¯s best to watch a classic sci-fi horror film like that.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s finger froze on the screen, and he swallowed nervously. ¡°Alien? Uh¡­ Actually, there are some good romance films here. Maybe you should consider one of those?¡±

    Xiao Wan gave him a sharp look and smiled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you scared to watch it?¡±

    ¡°No, no way, I¡¯m a grown man! I watched this movie when I was little,¡± Hayden said with a serious face, then quickly bought the tickets. With his chest out, he said bravely to Xiao Wan, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the movie is about to start.¡±

    ¡°Mmm-hmm,¡± Xiao Wan replied, following him into the dimly lit theater.

    The movie soon began, but Xiao Wan, instead of focusing on the big screen, was paying more attention to Hayden¡¯s reactions, since she had already seen Alien countless times. When the cannon fodder in the film tried to interact with the Alien eggs and was attacked by a terrifying face-hugger, Xiao Wan clearly saw Hayden¡¯s strong body tremble.

    She couldn¡¯t help but stifle a laugh and leaned toward his ear, ¡°If you¡¯re really scared, I can hold you.¡±

    Hayden immediately scoffed and patted his own shoulder, trying to act calm. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not scared! You¡¯re a girl, if you¡¯re scared, you can lean on my shoulder.¡±

    ¡°Mmm-hmm,¡± Xiao Wan replied casually, then leaned back in her seat and secretly observed his expression. She had expected that as the plot progressed, Hayden would get even more frightened, but surprisingly, he actually held it together through the whole film.

    When the movie ended and they left the theater, he only looked a bit pale but seemed fine otherwise. Xiao Wan was about to praise him for being brave when a sudden ¡°bang¡± echoed from behind. She turned around to find Hayden, eyes rolled back, collapsed on the ground.

    Xiao Wan rushed over and patted his face. ¡°Hayden, Hayden!¡±

    The half-conscious NBA star didn¡¯t wake up. He mumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Xiao Wan, you can lean on my shoulder.¡±

    Xiao Wan froze for a second, almost wanting to laugh at him for still trying to act tough at a time like this, but the unexpected warmth in her heart made her eyes redden. She quickly pinched his philtrum, and as expected, Hayden groaned and opened his eyes. His blue eyes were full of confusion. ¡°Xiao Wan, what happened? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Xiao Wan gently touched his face. ¡°Silly, if you¡¯re scared of horror films, you don¡¯t have to watch them with me.¡±

    Hayden smiled embarrassedly, holding her hand that was covering his face, and said softly and sincerely, ¡°I am scared, but if it¡¯s your favorite, no matter how scared I am, I¡¯ll watch it with you.¡±

    ¡­

    Sweet memories slowly faded from her mind.

    Xiao Wan had thought she would cry many sorrowful, regretful tears, but after calming down from the memories, she could only feel a sense of resigned helplessness.

    Then suddenly, a gentle smile of Chen Xin flashed across her mind.

    Xiao Wan immediately froze, her eyes widening as she sat up straight. To her shock, there was someone sitting in front of her! She instinctively clutched her chest in fear, but when she saw who it was, her surprised emotions quickly turned into disdain.

    There, sitting arrogantly in front of her, was Ye Chen, holding a cigarette, looking at her with a mocking expression. ¡°So, old feelings resurfacing? Did you cry your heart out just now, and now you want to crawl back into that NBA idiot¡¯s bed?¡±

 29.being abused

    Xiaowan immediately switched to battle mode. She crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and said, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®thinking about it now¡¯? Do I seem like someone with such poor initiative? You¡¯re too late¡ªour fight¡¯s already over, okay?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Ye Chen¡¯s eyes widened in anger as he pointed at Lin Xiaowan¡¯s nose and roared, ¡°I knew it! Lin Xiaowan, you¡¯re nothing but a fickle, faithless woman! Chen Xin treats you so well, and yet here you are sneaking out to meet your ex. Have you no shame? I¡¯m telling Chen Xin about this right now!¡±

    Xiaowan toyed with the glass in her hand, her tone leisurely. ¡°Go ahead. Waiter, I¡¯d like to order.¡±

    Ye Chen grew even angrier. ¡°You still have the nerve to eat?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t help it,¡± Xiaowan said coquettishly, pretending to sound weak. ¡°I just had such an intense round with my ex, I¡¯m starving now.¡± Then she turned to the waiter who was approaching. ¡°I¡¯ll have 20 grilled specialty oysters, 20 portions of foie gras, and 20 servings of truffle-seared wagyu beef¡ªmake it all to-go, thanks.¡±

    Ye Chen was about to scold her for ordering so much, but before he could, Xiaowan pointed at him and added, ¡°Oh, and this gentleman will cover the bill.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Ye Chen slammed the table. ¡°Are you crazy? Why should I pay for you? Go ask your ex to cover it!¡±

    But then Xiaowan suddenly clutched her chest, looking at him with a panicked expression. She asked carefully, ¡°Leng, do you not love me anymore? I was just a little hungry and wanted to eat a bit more¡ªare you really unwilling?¡±

    ¡°Love your mom!¡± Ye Chen was completely confused. ¡°Lin Xiaowan, what kind of trick are you pulling now? Pay for yourself! I¡¯m not your sugar daddy. Goodbye!¡±

    As soon as he stood up, Xiaowan suddenly covered her face and started sobbing. Ye Chen had been speaking loudly, so he¡¯d already attracted some attention. Now that Xiaowan was crying, every pair of eyes in the restaurant turned their way.

    Xiaowan, the despicable woman, was crying beautifully, tears streaming down her face while speaking clearly: ¡°During our time together, I sacrificed so much for you. I even aborted 18 of our children for your sake! And now, I just want a little foie gras after coming out of the hospital yesterday, but you¡¯re forcing me to eat stale bread at home instead. Ye Chen, doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?¡±

    ¡°Hurt your sister¡¯s conscience!¡± Ye Chen was going mad. ¡°Eighteen kids? Were you having abortions straight out of the womb?!¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at him, her tears flowing even more dramatically.

    The male customers around them couldn¡¯t stand to see such a beautiful woman crying so miserably. Even the restaurant manager brought over some foie gras and a hot drink for Xiaowan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Lin. This is on the house. Please eat well, and then leave the man who can¡¯t make you happy. Honestly, I think it¡¯s a shame you and Hayden broke up¡ªhe¡¯s so much better than certain people.¡±

    The manager then shot Ye Chen a look full of condemnation.

    Ye Chen exploded. ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s with that look? I¡¯m a member here! Is this how you treat your members?!¡±

    The manager¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Yes, you are a member, Mr. Gu, but our restaurant does not welcome men who disrespect women. If we had known how you treat your girlfriend, we would never have accepted your membership in the first place.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend! This woman is full of lies and venom! Don¡¯t let her fool you!¡± Ye Chen was desperate, his frustration mounting.

    But no one believed him. Meanwhile, Xiaowan added fuel to the fire, wiping her tears while taking small bites of the foie gras. She sobbed, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious. Darling, please don¡¯t be mad anymore, okay? I promise to do all the housework when we get home. Just¡­please don¡¯t hit me again. The last time you hit me, it caused me to lose the baby¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡± Ye Chen lost all reason and charged at Xiaowan, but a nearby male customer stepped in to block him.

    The man, a middle-aged Caucasian, frowned at Ye Chen and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough, sir! You¡¯re going too far! Waiter, what did this poor lady just order? I¡¯ll cover her bill!¡±

    He handed his card to the waiter and then offered Xiaowan his business card, speaking gently. ¡°Hello, miss. This is my card. If you need help with anything, feel free to contact me. I suggest you leave this man right now. Once you¡¯re done eating, I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe, all right?¡±

    Xiaowan, wiping her tears with a pitiful expression, reached for the card, but Ye Chen angrily grabbed her wrist and yanked her to his side. He glared at the man and shouted, ¡°Damn it! She¡¯s already aborted eighteen kids¡ªyou don¡¯t care? Are your standards that low?¡±

    The man responded calmly, ¡°I think it¡¯s her good fortune not to have children with someone like you. A woman who¡¯s endured hardships is even more beautiful to me.¡±

    ¡°Stop acting so high and mighty!¡± Ye Chen pointed at Xiaowan. ¡°You¡¯re just into her because she¡¯s pretty, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He then dragged Xiaowan toward the exit. ¡°Are you trying to turn Chen Xin into a laughingstock? Come on, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Xiaowan pouted and whined, ¡°But, Leng, I¡¯m not full yet.¡±

    Grinding his teeth, Ye Chen threw a card at the waiter and shouted, ¡°Fine! Those eighteen kids were mine. I¡¯ll pay for it! Tell that guy to take his card back!¡±

    Twenty minutes later, Xiaowan stood outside the restaurant with a bag full of luxury takeout. Still teary-eyed, she thanked the waiter.

    The young male waiter, captivated by her delicate beauty, hesitated before handing her a complimentary slice of cake. ¡°This is for you. Don¡¯t cry over a jerk anymore.¡±

    Xiaowan nodded lightly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best. But right now, I really love him.¡±

    She turned to Ye Chen, who looked like he¡¯d swallowed a fly, and gave him a loving, tearful gaze.

    Ye Chen, annoyed, yanked her toward the parking lot, muttering, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, have some shame! You¡¯re even flirting with the waiter!¡±

    The moment they left the restaurant, Xiaowan¡¯s sorrowful demeanor vanished. She smirked and said leisurely, ¡°Shame? I aborted eighteen of your kids¡ªhow could I possibly have any left?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ye Chen barked. ¡°I¡¯ve already paid for your food. Stop spreading nonsense, okay?¡±

    He let go of her and walked to his car. Just as he took out his keys, Xiaowan approached, running her hand over the hood. ¡°Wow, a Bugatti. Nice. Wait a minute¡­ it looks familiar.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Ye Chen snorted. ¡°Stop bluffing. This car is super rare. I, Ye Chen, only drive the best¡ªsomething you¡¯d never come across.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a great car,¡± Xiaowan replied, leaning against it. She blinked at him. ¡°So, how much is the monthly payment?¡±

    ¡°Payment, my ass! You think I need a loan to buy a car?¡± Ye Chen yelled, furious.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Xiaowan teased. ¡°You were stingy about buying me snacks earlier, so I naturally assumed you¡¯re broke.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t owe you snacks!¡± Ye Chen snapped. ¡°And those weren¡¯t snacks¡ªthey were gourmet meals! Why don¡¯t you ask me to buy the whole restaurant for you?¡±

    ¡°Really? That would be great!¡± Xiaowan said, eyes sparkling. ¡°Go ahead and buy it.¡±

    ¡°Buy your mom!¡± Ye Chen fumed as he opened the car door. Before he could get in, Xiaowan shoved him aside, jumped into the driver¡¯s seat, and snatched the keys from his hand.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ye Chen shouted, standing up straight. ¡°Get out of my car right now!¡±

    Ignoring him, Xiaowan locked the doors and started the engine. She gave him the finger before driving off.

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan!¡± Ye Chen yelled as he ran after her. ¡°How am I supposed to get home now that you¡¯ve taken my car?!¡±

    Xiaowan reluctantly stopped the car a few meters away and tossed her own car keys at him. ¡°Here, take my Ferrari. By the way, I¡¯m a terrible driver. If I crash your car, I¡¯m not paying for it!¡±

    With that, she sped off, leaving Ye Chen fuming behind her. ¡°Lin Xiaowan! If you scratch my car, we¡¯re not done!¡±

    ¡°Feigning ignorance!¡± Xiao Wan angrily pushed him away. Just as she was about to play with the dog, the door was banged on loudly. Ye Chen¡¯s voice came from outside, full of irritation: ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Give me back my keys!¡±

    Xiao Wan walked over, cracked the door open, and shook her head at him. ¡°It¡¯s just a Bugatti. You¡¯re so rich¡ªif I break it, you can just buy another one. Honestly, you¡¯re so stingy.¡±

    ¡°Stingy my ass! It¡¯s not just the car¡ªall my keys are with you! How the hell am I supposed to get into my house if you don¡¯t give them back?¡±

    ¡°Get your butler to open the door for you, then.¡± Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled mischievously. ¡°Wait¡ªyou said all your keys are with me? Does that include the key to your safe?¡±

    Ye Chen stormed inside, furious. ¡°What are you trying to do? Hand over my keys now!¡±

    Xiao Wan grabbed her bag and darted off. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m going to make 180 copies of your keys and leave them at your company¡¯s doorstep, so everyone can come rob you. Ha-ha-ha!¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Ye Chen lunged after her, but Chen Xin quickly intercepted him. With an exasperated expression, he turned to Xiao Wan. ¡°Alright, just give him back his keys. It¡¯s late¡ªlet him go home peacefully.¡±

    Xiao Wan pouted, pulled the keys out of her bag, and tossed them to Ye Chen. ¡°Fine, here.¡±

    Ye Chen snorted, checked that the keys were all there, then nodded at Chen Xin. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°Okay, take care,¡± Chen Xin said apologetically.

    After Ye Chen left, Chen Xin looked at Xiao Wan helplessly. ¡°You¡ªdo you really find it that fun to mess with him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, but, as the saying goes, ¡®He who teases first is at fault.¡¯ He provoked me today, so I was just defending myself,¡± Xiao Wan said, wrapping her arms around Chen Xin. ¡°Oh, right. You mentioned earlier that Ye Chen has a racing team. Does he compete often?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, mostly street races against a buddy of his in N City. Nothing too official.¡±

    Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. ¡°Do you know the name of this friend?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only recently moved to the U.S., so I¡¯m not too sure. I just know his family runs a chain of hotels. Why are you asking?¡±

    ¡°No reason, just curious,¡± Xiao Wan replied, shaking her head. But deep down, she thought, No wonder Ye Chen¡¯s car looked so familiar¡ªI must have seen it before.

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t give it much thought and was about to suggest they head to bed when Ye Chen suddenly stormed back in, his face livid as if he were ready to devour Xiao Wan.

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Who the hell let you paint in my car with nail polish? Do you think you¡¯re Van Gogh? Clean it up right now, or I swear I¡¯ll skin you alive today!¡±

    Chen Xin quickly stood in his way, trying to calm him down. ¡°Let me see your car first.¡±

    Ye Chen angrily pointed outside. ¡°See for yourself! If you look at her ¡®masterpiece¡¯ and still side with her, I¡¯ll cut ties with you for good!¡±

    Chen Xin hurried to Ye Chen¡¯s car. When Xiao Wan drove it back earlier, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual. But now, upon closer inspection, he saw that the once sleek black crocodile leather interior¡ªsteering wheel, seats, floor mats¡ªwas splattered messily with gold glitter nail polish.

    Chen Xin finally understood why Ye Chen had called her Van Gogh. Her exaggerated, impressionistic ¡°art¡± actually made the car¡¯s interior resemble The Starry Night.

    Knowing how much Ye Chen cherished this car, Chen Xin could imagine his blood boiling when he saw the golden chaos inside.

    Chen Xin massaged his temples, stepped out of the car, and said, ¡°Alright, bro, how about this: I¡¯ll pay to have your interior completely redone. Deal?¡±

    ¡°No deal! She cleans it herself¡ªtoday!¡± Ye Chen yelled, glaring at Xiao Wan.

    Xiao Wan looked aggrieved. ¡°I only wanted to add some color because it was too dull. Do you know I used up an entire bottle of Chanel nail polish for you? It¡¯s expensive¡ªyou could at least say thank you.¡±

    ¡°Thank your sister!¡± Ye Chen shouted, nearly hopping mad. ¡°Do you know how long it took to customize that interior?¡±

    Xiao Wan pouted. ¡°Such a hideous design¡ªfree or not, I wouldn¡¯t want it.¡±

    ¡°Lin! Xiao! Wan!¡± Ye Chen gritted his teeth, rolling up his sleeves to teach her a lesson. Xiao Wan quickly hid behind Chen Xin, looking pitiful. ¡°Save me, Little Cutie, he¡¯s going to hit me!¡±

    Chen Xin felt his headache worsen as he shielded Xiao Wan. ¡°Alright, Ye Chen, calm down. Xiao Wan was indeed wrong this time. I¡­ I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf. Okay?¡±

    ¡°No! She has to apologize herself!¡± Ye Chen demanded, completely unwilling to compromise. ¡°And clean my car, or we¡¯re done being friends!¡±

    Chen Xin looked at Xiao Wan hesitantly. ¡°Xiao Wan, maybe this once, you could apologize? He really loves his car. Imagine if someone messed with your harp¡ªhow would you feel?¡±

    Xiao Wan glared at him for a few seconds, then stomped her foot in frustration and dashed into the house.

    Chen Xin thought she was angry and was about to follow her when she returned, holding a large bottle of nail polish remover. She climbed into Ye Chen¡¯s car and started scrubbing the steering wheel angrily.

    Finally, Ye Chen felt a little appeased. He walked over and pointed out flaws. ¡°Don¡¯t just clean the front¡ªthere¡¯s polish on the back too. Can¡¯t you see? Clean it all!¡±

    Xiao Wan turned to glare at him. ¡°I admit it was wrong to mess with your car. But don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t make any mistakes today. Do you have the guts to tell Chen Xin everything you said to me at the restaurant?¡±

    Ye Chen opened his mouth but faltered. ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°From the day we met, you¡¯ve disliked me. That¡¯s fine¡ªI don¡¯t expect you to like me. But do you really have to call me a gold digger and insult me repeatedly? You¡¯re Chen Xin¡¯s best friend, and even if you don¡¯t like his girlfriend, could you not be so blatant about it? Today, I met with Haydn for an important reason, but the moment you saw us, you accused me of rekindling an old flame, of trying to seduce him. I¡¯ve had my fair share of exes, but I¡¯ve always taken every relationship seriously. Could you stop judging me with such prejudice? If not, can¡¯t we at least agree to stay out of each other¡¯s way?¡±

    As Xiao Wan scrubbed furiously at the polish, she rubbed her reddened eyes. She had always been sharp-tongued and witty, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t hurt by Ye Chen¡¯s relentless disdain.

    Ye Chen was stunned speechless. After a long pause, he suddenly climbed into the car, pulled her out by the arm, and said with a complicated expression, ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t clean anymore.¡±

    He slammed the car door, revved the engine, and drove off.

    Xiao Wan rubbed her sore arm and turned to Chen Xin. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll stop being so mean from now on.¡±

    Chen Xin hugged her tightly. ¡°Actually, I could¡¯ve handled things better too. You and Ye Chen are both important to me, but you¡¯re so alike¡ªboth sharp and unyielding. I never know how to mediate between you two. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Xiao Wan sniffled and leaned into his embrace. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll try to avoid him from now on.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably for the best,¡± Chen Xin said, kissing her forehead.

    ¡°Little Cutie, you don¡¯t think of me like Ye Chen does, do you? Or like Harold, who thought I was only with you for money¡ªhey, why are you laughing?¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°Do you care about what I think of you?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡ª¡± Xiao Wan stopped mid-sentence, her face flushing. She stammered, ¡°Who¡ªwho said that? I was just asking! Don¡¯t think you¡¯re so important! I told you, I¡¯ll dump you in four months!¡±

    She turned and ran toward the villa. Chen Xin quickly chased after her, hugging her from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll never think of you that way. You¡¯re the best girl in my heart.¡±

    Xiao Wan looked up at him with teary eyes, then gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

    Chen Xin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±

    ¡°Alright. But starting tonight, I don¡¯t want to sleep with you anymore,¡± Xiao Wan suddenly announced.

    Chen Xin stumbled. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s getting hot. Sharing a bed is too warm,¡± she teased. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll sleep in the guest room.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°No buts! We¡¯re just sleeping anyway. Don¡¯t overthink it,¡± Xiao Wan said playfully, running inside.

    Chen Xin stood frozen, realizing his plan to woo her with charm might backfire. Was he shooting himself in the foot?

    Meanwhile, Ye Chen drove to a high-end strip club in N City instead of heading home. The club¡¯s owner, a burly Black man, greeted him with a warm hug and ushered him to the best seat.

    ¡°Got some fresh girls in¡ªpick any you like,¡± the owner said, gesturing to the stage.

    Ye Chen seemed uninterested and ordered a stiff drink instead. After downing it, he sighed.

    The owner patted him. ¡°What¡¯s got you down? Business trouble?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Ye Chen ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I just¡­ almost made a woman I hate cry. And it¡¯s annoying.¡±

    ¡°Bro, this is dangerous territory!¡± the owner exclaimed. ¡°Do you know why I gave up all the girls here and married my wife? Because she cried when she caught me cheating! It¡¯s a slippery slope!¡±

    Ye Chen cursed, grabbed a girl from the stage, and stormed off, leaving the owner shaking his head. ¡°Dangerous. Very dangerous indeed.¡±

 30.Disrupt

    Time passed quickly, and it was already the end of April. Since the night when Ye Chen and Xiao Wan had a big argument at the villa gate, the two of them had tacitly avoided each other, temporarily avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

    However, because Xiao Wan took up most of Chen Xin¡¯s time every day, the opportunities for him to meet up with his good friends had also decreased. It wasn¡¯t until the end of April that Chen Xin opened his phone to check the calendar and suddenly remembered that tomorrow was Ye Chen¡¯s birthday.

    He hurriedly called Ye Chen, wanting to celebrate with him. The noise on the other side of the phone was very loud, and Ye Chen was surprisingly in a bar in the middle of the day. After hearing Chen Xin¡¯s words, he laughed and said, ¡°At least you have some conscience and didn¡¯t forget your brother¡¯s birthday. Alright, tomorrow I¡¯ll call all the guys here, and we¡¯ll have a great time in the evening.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Chen Xin went home and told Xiao Wan about this. Although she was a bit unwilling, she agreed and even allowed him to not come back before 8 PM the next day, but she warned him not to return too late.

    The next evening, before going to Ye Chen¡¯s birthday party, Xiao Wan still reminded him uneasily, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to flirt with any other girls while I¡¯m not around. If I find out, I¡¯ll make sure your third leg never works again!¡±

    Chen Xin was speechless and helpless. ¡°I¡¯m just going to help my buddy celebrate his birthday. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be good.¡±

    Only then did Xiao Wan let him go. Following Ye Chen¡¯s address, Chen Xin arrived at a very popular bar in N city. The waiter led him into a luxurious private room at the back. As soon as he opened the door, he was stunned by the scene inside ¨C it was filled with a dizzying atmosphere of extravagance and seduction.

    How many girls did Ye Chen invite? There must be over thirty, right? These girls were all young and beautiful, wearing ultra-short skirts that showed off their snow-white thighs, their eyes gleaming with ambition. Each one seemed to be trying to seize the opportunity to latch onto Ye Chen, the generous and extravagant ¡°sugar daddy.¡± Ye Chen¡¯s other rich second-generation friends were also surrounded by these girls. The room was filled with the scent of various perfumes and the sound of the girls¡¯ laughter, almost suffocating Chen Xin.

    Ye Chen, surrounded by the girls like a king, was holding a short-haired girl in his arms, whispering something to her, looking very relaxed and content.

    Chen Xin shook his head helplessly, walked over, and patted Ye Chen on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡±

    ¡°Chen Xin!¡± Upon seeing him, Ye Chen immediately cheered, loudly announcing to the crowd, ¡°Come, let me introduce, this is my best buddy from childhood, Chen Xin!¡±

    Several girls with good intuition immediately rushed over, grabbing his arm and sweetly calling out, ¡°Hello, Mr. Chen!¡±

    Chen Xin pushed them away helplessly and politely said, ¡°Sorry, I have a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡± Hearing this, Ye Chen swore, pointing at him and saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t it exhausting to live like this? Just relax and have fun with a girl, what¡¯s wrong with that? We men are supposed to do that!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your idea,¡± Chen Xin replied helplessly. ¡°But tonight¡¯s scene seems a bit too much for you. Why did you invite so many girls? It¡¯s unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m celebrating my damn birthday. Can¡¯t I invite a few more girls to have fun?¡± Ye Chen grumbled drunkenly. ¡°Chen Xin, since you¡¯re here to celebrate my birthday, don¡¯t start making things awkward, or don¡¯t blame me for falling out with you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Chen Xin wasn¡¯t a very sensitive person, but he still noticed that his good buddy didn¡¯t seem very happy tonight. Even though Ye Chen kept playing with the girls, there was a persistent feeling of frustration on his face.

    A few other rich second-generation friends came over to greet Chen Xin. These people were about the same age as him, and he had mostly known them before. Their family businesses were a bit smaller compared to the Chen family¡¯s, so they treated him with some respect and flattery, calling him ¡°Y¨¢ng Ge¡± (Bro Yang) with every sentence.

    After chatting for a while, one of the guys asked, ¡°Y¨¢ng Ge, why aren¡¯t you hooking up with any girls? Leng Ge invited so many tonight, it¡¯d be a waste not to have fun.¡±

    Chen Xin explained, ¡°I have a girlfriend.¡±

    Everyone congratulated him, and the guy who had asked couldn¡¯t help but say regretfully, ¡°That¡¯s a shame. You don¡¯t know, this bar is really high-end. Regular girls can¡¯t even get in. The girls here are all skilled at hooking up with men. I really want you to experience it.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, a very well-dressed, demure girl quietly approached. She looked at Chen Xin cautiously and asked, ¡°Excuse me¡­ Are you the president of Chen Jun Electronics?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my father,¡± Chen Xin replied politely.

    ¡°Really? Oh my god, I¡¯m so honored to meet you here,¡± the girl said excitedly. ¡°Please¡­ please don¡¯t misunderstand, I heard you say you have a girlfriend, and I don¡¯t mean anything else. I just wanted to say that I¡¯ve always liked your company and plan to apply there after graduating with my master¡¯s degree.¡±

    ¡°Good, you can give it a try,¡± Chen Xin nodded.

    The girl seemed to sense that he didn¡¯t seem bothered, so she moved a little closer, took a document from her bag, and said, ¡°Mr. Chen, I know this request is a bit bold, but¡­ this is an investment environment evaluation report I wrote for the IBM branch where I¡¯m interning. I¡¯d love for you to give me some pointers.¡±

    Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but smile, exchanging a knowing glance with the guy who had spoken earlier. He thought, ¡°As expected, skilled. Bringing an IBM evaluation report to a bar to latch onto a rich second-generation guy, truly high class.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to embarrass the girl, but he also didn¡¯t want other women to try to hook up with him, so he took the report from her, quickly skimmed through it, and smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s well written.¡±

    The girl¡¯s face immediately lit up with joy. ¡°Really? Thank you for the compliment, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was well written for you, I¡¯m talking about the person who actually wrote it,¡± Chen Xin said calmly. ¡°You changed the name on the first page. But you forgot to change the English signature on the last page. I don¡¯t think Benjamin Lawrence is you.¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression immediately shattered. Chen Xin returned the report to her, politely but distantly saying, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think my company would hire someone like you.¡±

    The girl didn¡¯t try to explain herself and took the report away with her, leaving in shame. The few rich second-generation guys nearby couldn¡¯t help but laugh, patting Chen Xin on the shoulder. ¡°Y¨¢ng Ge, you¡¯re heartless. That girl¡¯s pretty good, and you stayed as calm as a rock, not giving her any face! What kind of woman is your girlfriend? She¡¯s got you wrapped around her finger like this?¡±

    Chen Xin laughed. ¡°She¡¯s the kind of woman you can¡¯t forget once you¡¯ve seen her.¡±

    The guys immediately whistled and teased, ¡°Do you have a photo? Show us!¡±

    Chen Xin was about to refuse when Ye Chen, who had been flirting with the girls nearby, suddenly shouted irritably, ¡°It¡¯s my damn birthday today! Chen Xin, can you stop talking about Lin Xiao Wan?!¡±

    Chen Xin paused for a moment, thinking to himself that Ye Chen had been distracted and listening to their conversation all along. Just then, his phone rang, and it was a call from Xiao Wan. He quickly stood up and walked out. ¡°I¡¯ll step outside to take a call.¡±

    He walked into a quieter restroom, pressed the call button, and immediately heard Xiao Wan¡¯s coquettish voice from the other end. ¡°Little cutie, why aren¡¯t you coming back yet?¡±

    Chen Xin glanced at the time and laughed, saying, ¡°It¡¯s only 8:10, and I¡¯ve been at Ye Chen¡¯s gathering for less than 20 minutes.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°But I miss you,¡± Xiao Wan pouted. ¡°I¡¯m all alone watching a horror movie at home. It¡¯s so scary.¡±

    Chen Xin doubted the truth of her words but still gently comforted her. ¡°Be good, I¡¯ll be back in a little while. It won¡¯t be too late. I¡¯ll bring you pizza, okay?¡±

    ¡°Alright, but make sure there¡¯s a lot of cheese,¡± Xiao Wan replied. ¡°Did any girls try to hit on you at the party?¡±

    Chen Xin smiled. ¡°Yes, but your little cutie turned them down firmly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so obedient! Then when you come back, I¡¯ll reward you with a sweet kiss!¡±

    The two of them continued to chat sweetly before reluctantly hanging up. As Chen Xin was about to head back, he suddenly overheard two girls talking in the hallway:

    ¡°Hey, you had good luck last night. How much did you make from spending the whole night with Mr. Gu?¡±

    ¡°I made quite a bit. But¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone this, okay? Last night¡­ he couldn¡¯t get it up!¡±

    ¡°Huh? No way, he¡¯s really good in bed.¡±

    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve heard you all talk about it. But last night, I don¡¯t know what happened. No matter how I flirted with him, he didn¡¯t react. I was so nervous. Then he said it was fine, he drank a lot and fell asleep. That¡¯s when I relaxed. But I think he might have someone he likes.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes, women have intuition. Last night when I flirted with him, he looked really annoyed and kept scrolling through his phone. I peeked, and he seemed to be looking at a girl¡¯s Instagram profile. But I couldn¡¯t see who it was.¡±

    After the two girls walked away, Chen Xin came out of the restroom, surprised. Based on what they had just said, it seemed they were talking about Ye Chen. If all this was true, then as a man himself, Chen Xin was certain that Ye Chen had someone on his mind.

    No wonder he seemed a bit down today¡ªwas he upset because he couldn¡¯t win over the girl he liked? Chen Xin thought for a moment, wanting to help him but hesitant to ask, worried it might hurt Ye Chen¡¯s pride, as he was always very competitive.

    Forget it. Ye Chen has never really liked anyone seriously. If he¡¯s really fallen for someone this time, maybe it¡¯s best not to rush into asking, so as not to spoil things for him.

    Chen Xin made up his mind and turned back toward the room.

    However, during the ten or so minutes he was away, the atmosphere in the room had already become wild. The music was blasting, and the girls, barefoot, were sensually gyrating on the marble floor. Ye Chen was lying on the floor with a girl straddling him, his shirt torn open to reveal his chest. The girl scooped a chunk of cream from the huge birthday cake on the table and fed it to him mouth-to-mouth, while her brightly-painted fingernails ran over his body. The other guys were also going wild. The men¡¯s low chuckles mixed with the girls¡¯ giggles, making Chen Xin¡¯s ears feel sore.

    At this rate, who knew what the scene would turn into? Chen Xin couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and picked up his jacket to leave. Just then, Ye Chen noticed his movement, shoved the girl off him, and drunkenly pointed at him, shouting, ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing? You¡¯ve only been here for a few minutes and you want to leave? Chen Xin, are you even still my bro?¡±

    Chen Xin pointed at his watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I promised Xiao Wan I¡¯d be back early¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me about that annoying woman!¡± Ye Chen suddenly yelled angrily. ¡°Chen Xin, I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re not chasing girls, but at least stay and drink a few with your bro before you leave!¡±

    Chen Xin thought about it for a second. He had indeed been a little too focused on Xiao Wan recently and hadn¡¯t paid enough attention to his friendship with his good bro. So, he nodded and sat back down. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drink with you. It¡¯s your birthday, don¡¯t be mad.¡±

    Ye Chen grabbed the bottle and filled two empty glasses in front of them. The girl who had been straddling him tried to come back, but he coldly glared at her, and she backed off. He raised a glass and handed it to Chen Xin, then gulped down his own glass.

    Chen Xin quickly advised, ¡°Take it easy, you¡¯ve probably had enough already.¡±

    Ye Chen burped and pointed at Chen Xin¡¯s glass without saying anything.

    Chen Xin had no choice but to drink it all. They went on drinking for another four or five rounds, and finally, Ye Chen stopped. He suddenly slapped Chen Xin on the back, then patted his own chest drunkenly, saying, ¡°Chen Xin, let me ask you, how did we meet?¡±

    Chen Xin, not as drunk, smiled and replied, ¡°Let me think¡­ It must have been because we went to the same kindergarten, right? I remember at first we didn¡¯t like each other, both trying to be the leader in the class. Later we fought a few times and became good bros.¡±

    Ye Chen nodded vigorously. ¡°Right, that¡¯s how we met. I remember later, we even became sworn brothers in your garden. Do you remember what I said to you then?¡±

    Chen Xin rubbed his temples. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really remember that clearly.¡±

    Ye Chen pounded his chest. ¡°I remember! I told you, Chen Xin, that I value my brothers the most in this life. So don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely back you up no matter what. I¡¯ll never do anything to betray you. Did I say that right?¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right,¡± Chen Xin smiled.

    ¡°Then tell me, over the years, have I done what I promised?¡± Ye Chen asked.

    Chen Xin nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m really glad to have a good brother like you.¡±

    Ye Chen nodded repeatedly, his eyes red. ¡°I also really treasure our brotherhood. So don¡¯t worry, Chen Xin, no matter what happens, I¡¯ll keep my word and never do anything to betray you. You can count on me.¡±

    As he said that, he drunkenly collapsed onto the couch, half asleep and mumbling, ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± repeatedly. Chen Xin smiled helplessly, thinking to himself that drunk people always talk nonsense. He didn¡¯t understand why Ye Chen had suddenly brought up such old memories, but since they were so close, what could he possibly do to betray him?

    After finishing the drink with his bro, Chen Xin was about to leave, but other guys came over and asked him to have a drink with them. Unable to refuse, they continued drinking and chatting, and before they knew it, time passed quickly.

    When Chen Xin finally realized it was already past midnight and he wanted to go home, he realized he had drunk too much and was a bit unsteady. The other guys were also drunk, lying half asleep in the arms of the girls. Chen Xin propped himself up on the sofa, intending to call a driver to take him home, but just as he was about to leave, the quiet girl from before suddenly approached again, linking her arm through his and asking, ¡°Mr. Chen, are you alright?¡±

    Chen Xin tried to push her away. ¡°I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    But the girl wasn¡¯t letting go. She tightly clung to him and said, ¡°You¡¯ve drunk too much, let me take you home.¡±

    Chen Xin was about to refuse, but the girl had already reached into his pocket, pulling out his car keys. When she saw the Koenigsegg logo on them, her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly dragged him toward the exit. Just as they reached the door, it was suddenly kicked open from the outside!

    A woman in a black lace tight dress stood at the doorway, wearing 10cm high heels. She coldly glared at the quiet girl beside Chen Xin and said, ¡°Let go of him right now.¡±

    Naturally, the girl wasn¡¯t willing to comply. She clung to the dizzy Chen Xin and said, ¡°Why should I? I worked hard to hook him, if you¡¯re so capable, go find your own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you back the exact words you just said,¡± Xiao Wan said coldly. ¡°The man you¡¯re holding onto is mine. I¡¯ll give you three seconds¡ªif you don¡¯t let go, you won¡¯t be able to keep your fake chin.¡±

    The quiet girl was taken aback by her forceful aura, but still refused to let go, trying to drag Chen Xin out. Xiao Wan sneered, then raised her high heel and kicked the girl on the thigh. The girl instantly screamed in pain and bent down, and Xiao Wan seized the opportunity to pull her hair and forcefully threw her against the wall.

    The girl crashed into a decorative vase in the corner, and the vase shattered with a loud crash. Everyone in the room snapped back to reality, including Chen Xin.

    He shook his head and, upon seeing Xiao Wan, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Xiao Wan? What are you¡ª¡±

    Xiao Wan shoved him aside and pointed to the corner. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about your bill later. Stand there and reflect on yourself!¡±

    Chen Xin knew she was really mad this time and obediently walked to the corner, watching Xiao Wan storm past the girls lying around to confront Ye Chen. She crossed her arms and looked down at him with a cold expression, saying, ¡°Oh, celebrating your birthday, Mr. Gu.¡±

    Ye Chen, still lying in the arms of a busty girl, was initially still somewhat dazed. But as he looked at Xiao Wan, his face gradually turned cold. He propped himself up and said, ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re not welcome here. Get out of here before I call someone to throw you out.¡±

    Chen Xin, rubbing his throbbing temples, couldn¡¯t understand. They hadn¡¯t seen each other in a month, yet Ye Chen seemed to hate Xiao Wan even more now.

    Xiao Wan sneered and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Chen Xin being here, do you think I¡¯d want to come to your sleazy party? Ye Chen, you can do whatever you want in your private life, but don¡¯t drag Chen Xin down with you!¡±

    Ye Chen also sneered. ¡°I¡¯m dragging Chen Xin down? A woman like you, crawling around in a sea of men, has no right to lecture me! I want you to get the hell out of here and stop disgusting me!¡±

    Xiao Wan narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a while, then suddenly picked up a small portion of the cake from the table and smashed it into Ye Chen¡¯s face! The white cream mixed with fruit jam covered his face. The girls around, who had never seen Ye Chen, the famous Mr. Gu, being humiliated like this, immediately screamed in shock

    After a brief moment of stunned silence, Ye Chen suddenly surged to his feet, raising his hand to grab at Xiao Wan¡¯s shoulder. A few of his friends quickly stepped forward to stop him. ¡°Cold Brother, let¡¯s talk this out. Don¡¯t get physical with the girl!¡±

    However, Ye Chen was completely unable to control his emotions. Pointing at Xiao Wan, he shouted, ¡°Tell her to get the hell out of here! I never want to see this woman again! Who the hell let her in? Is she really going to ruin my birthday party?¡±

    Chen Xin wanted to step forward to mediate, but Xiao Wan shot him a cold glance, so he sighed and returned to his place.

    At that moment, the quiet girl who had been pushed to the ground by Xiao Wan earlier realized that the birthday party¡¯s host, Ye Chen, seemed to be less than welcoming toward Xiao Wan. This gave her a sense of confidence, and she stood up arrogantly, saying to Xiao Wan, ¡°You¡¯re going too far! You dare to mess up Mr. Gu¡¯s birthday party and hit people casually? Wait here, I¡¯ll call security right now!¡±

    Xiao Wan casually pulled over a high bar stool, sat down cross-legged, and began fiddling with her nails. ¡°Go ahead and call. Whoever doesn¡¯t call is a bitch.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± The quiet girl stomped her foot in anger and ran out of the room.

    Inside, Ye Chen was being restrained by a few of his friends, and Chen Xin stood helplessly in the corner. Xiao Wan was sitting on the stool, playing with her nails, and for a moment, the situation was stable. The girls around stared at Xiao Wan like she was some kind of monster. After a brief moment, one of them suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh my god, is she Kitty?¡±

    ¡°Kitty? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the one on Instagram! The one who¡¯s been sleeping with all the rich second-generation heirs in N City!¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh my god, it really is her! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing the goddess in real life!¡±

    As the girls whispered in awe, a black-haired Asian girl in a purple mini skirt, hiding in the corner, tried to sneak to the door, hoping to leave unnoticed. Xiao Wan suddenly sensed something, turned sharply toward her, and called out, ¡°Stop.¡±

    The purple-skirted girl hesitated, closing her eyes for a moment, and reluctantly stopped in her tracks with a look of impending doom.

    Xiao Wan¡¯s eyes widened, as if she had discovered a new continent. She jumped off the stool and walked toward the girl, grabbed her by the shoulder, and upon seeing her face clearly, her complexion paled slightly. ¡°It really is you.¡±

    The purple-skirted girl immediately explained, ¡°Miss Lin, I snuck in today. Nathan doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here, or he definitely wouldn¡¯t have let me in. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Xiao Wan shook her finger, coldly staring at her. ¡°No rush. He¡¯ll be here soon, and we¡¯ll know the truth in no time.¡±

    Just as she finished speaking, the bar owner, Nathan Brown, walked in with several strong-looking black security guards. He had specially arranged the most luxurious private room for his good friend Ye Chen¡¯s birthday celebration, but unexpectedly, a girl had burst into his office, saying there was trouble at Ye Chen¡¯s party. Naturally, he had to come see for himself.

    The quiet girl walked in behind him, confidently and arrogantly pointing at Xiao Wan, saying to Nathan, ¡°She¡¯s the troublemaker!¡±

    She thought for sure that Xiao Wan would be thrown out by the security guards, but to her surprise, Nathan froze as soon as he saw Xiao Wan.

    Ye Chen had also freed himself from his friends¡¯ restraints and walked over, angrily saying, ¡°Nathan, what the hell is going on here? This is your venue, and you let a woman like her freely barge into my birthday party¡ª¡±

    But before he could finish, Nathan Brown suddenly grabbed Xiao Wan by the shoulder, trembling, and said, ¡°Kitty, are you here to see me?¡±

 31.memory

    Here is the translation of your text:

    Xiaowan coldly looked at him and pointed to the purple-skirted girl next to her, who was trying to make herself inconspicuous, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me. But I guess she might be here to find you.¡±

    Nathan and the purple-skirt girl exchanged a glance and immediately panicked. He angrily shouted, ¡°What are you doing here? I warned you not to come back here! Get out right now, do you hear me?¡±

    The purple-skirt girl immediately tried to leave, but Xiaowan blocked her path and turned to smile at Nathan, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You two were once lovers, after all. It¡¯s too heartless of you to treat her like this. In my opinion, the timing is perfect today. Why don¡¯t you two just have another round of fun and reminisce about the old days?¡±

    While saying this, Xiaowan appeared carefree, but Chen Xin noticed a strong sense of hurt and stubbornness in her eyes.

    ¡°Xiaowan! I¡­ I was really out of my mind at that time, I was so angry that I made a mistake with her¡­ I know I¡¯m wrong now. Please, forgive me, okay?¡± Nathan almost pleaded with her. ¡°I¡¯ve kept the wedding venue reserved for us. If you forgive me, let¡¯s get married tomorrow, okay? I¡¯ll never let my family talk bad about you again, I promise I¡¯ll protect you, I¡¯ll always¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, Xiaowan raised her hand and coldly slapped him.

    The crisp sound of the slap made the already quiet private room even more silent.

    ¡°Go marry your lover,¡± Xiaowan coldly threw the words at him, then grabbed Chen Xin¡¯s collar and pushed past the security guards, striding out.

    After she left, Nathan couldn¡¯t help but grab his hair in frustration, pacing around the room. The purple-skirt girl, with a mischievous look, approached him, but he yelled at her, ¡°Get out! What are you still doing here? Get out!¡±

    The girl hurriedly ran out, and the other girls, sensing the situation was bad, also left one after another. Eventually, only Nathan, Ye Chen, and his friends remained in the room.

    Ye Chen wiped the cream off his face, stood there for a moment, then suddenly smiled mockingly and walked over to ask Nathan, ¡°Tell me the truth, buddy, did you wear that ring because of Lin Xiaowan? Did you get engaged to her?¡±

    ¨C

    After the girls were kicked out of the bar¡¯s private room, the quiet girl who had been slapped by Xiaowan couldn¡¯t help but feel aggrieved. She wanted to chase after Xiaowan and show her a lesson, but was held back by the others.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Let go of me!¡± The quiet girl struggled forcefully, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, why is everyone so afraid of Lin Xiaowan, like a mouse seeing a cat? What¡¯s the difference between her and us? We¡¯re all just here to make money, so why pretend to be so pure?¡±

    A blonde girl nearby sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re new here. Once you¡¯ve been around the circle long enough, you¡¯ll understand how powerful Lin Xiaowan is in this world. Let me give you a word of advice: in the gold-digger circle, even if you offend all the rich second-generation men, don¡¯t ever offend Lin Xiaowan. Otherwise, your end will be very tragic.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so tragic? She¡¯s poor and has no power. What can she do to me?¡± The quiet girl looked unconvinced.

    ¡°She can¡¯t do anything to you, but if you really hurt her, her ex-boyfriends will never let you off.¡±

    The quiet girl saw that the blonde girl was serious, and the others also looked worried. She couldn¡¯t help but believe her a little, but still angrily said, ¡°But¡­ that IBM report, I paid ten thousand dollars to have someone write it for me! Now it¡¯s all wasted! It was hard enough to find a rich sponsor like Chen Xin, why should I give up?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you this when you joined the circle? ¡®Never try to steal a man from Kitty.¡¯¡± Another girl pointed at the purple-skirt girl who was being escorted out by security, ¡°That woman over there, she used some tricks to sleep with the bar owner, Nathan, and now she¡¯s been blacklisted all over N City. She hasn¡¯t been able to hook a rich man for months.¡±

    ¨C

    After Xiaowan dragged Chen Xin out of the bar, she reached into his pocket, took out the keys, and got into his Koenigsegg. Chen Xin tried to follow but was kicked out of the car by her. She raised an eyebrow and coldly looked at him, ¡°Did I ask you to get in?¡±

    Chen Xin quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, Xiaowan, I didn¡¯t mean it. I was planning to come back earlier, but I lost track of time drinking with my buddies¡­ Please don¡¯t be mad.¡±

    However, Xiaowan, who was angry, wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to his apology. She sneered, ¡°Were you drinking with your buddies, or drinking with those beautiful girls and losing track of time? If I hadn¡¯t shown up in time, you would probably be in a hotel room with that woman who was touching your chest, right?¡±

    ¡°How could it be? She insisted on holding me.¡± Chen Xin anxiously explained, ¡°You know I only have you in my heart.¡±

    Xiaowan narrowed her eyes and looked at him for a while before saying, ¡°Get in.¡±

    Chen Xin thought she had forgiven him, and with a sigh of relief, he quickly sat in the car, wanting to hug her, but Xiaowan slapped his hand away.

    He had no choice but to sit obediently next to her as Xiaowan pushed the car to its maximum speed, racing down the empty road in the night. He couldn¡¯t help but say softly, ¡°Drive slower.¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at him, then suddenly slammed the brakes, bringing the car to a stop on the desolate roadside.

    Chen Xin was about to ask her what was wrong when Xiaowan said, ¡°Give me your wallet and phone.¡±

    He quickly took them out and handed them to her, but Xiaowan continued, ¡°Now give me your clothes.¡±

    Chen Xin paused, confused. Was she asking him to undress? He hesitantly took off his jacket and asked, ¡°Do you want me to take off my pants too?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Xiaowan snorted, tapping the steering wheel casually with one hand.

    Chen Xin had no choice but to take off his trousers, now wearing only a white shirt and boxers.

    Then, Xiaowan suddenly leaned over, opened the door on his side, and raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°Get out.¡±

    Chen Xin was startled. Looking at the desolate wilderness outside, he had a bad feeling, ¡°Xiaowan, what do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°I want you to get out,¡± Xiaowan said, each word clear and deliberate.

    ¡°Can we talk first, then¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± Xiao Wan said coldly, ¡°Chen Xin, you have two choices now. Either you get off the car here, figure out how to get home, and I¡¯ll forgive you for what happened today; or I get off now, and from now on, don¡¯t even think about seeing me again.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Chen Xin looked at her face, which seemed cold and stubborn on purpose, and sighed helplessly, feeling both heartbroken and helpless. He reached out and touched her hair, saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get off.¡±

    Xiao Wan watched him get out of the car, immediately closing the door and, without hesitation, stepped on the accelerator, driving away. Chen Xin was left standing alone on the desolate road in N City, the cold wind blowing against his face.

    He pulled at his shirt and was about to walk back to see if he could find a gas station when suddenly, the roar of a car engine came from behind. Chen Xin turned around and saw Xiao Wan reversing the car back towards him.

    She didn¡¯t let him back into the car but instead reached out of the window and tossed a ten-dollar bill at him, then drove off again.

    Chen Xin walked over to pick up the money, watching the car disappear in the distance, letting out a soft sigh, and then turned to walk back.

    At the same time, in a luxurious private room in a bar.

    Ye Chen¡¯s friends had all left, and now only Ye Chen and Nathan Brown were left in the room. The floor and the sofas were covered with traces of cream from the cake, making the place look a mess. Nathan was leaning back against the chaotic sofa, his hands covering his eyes, despairing in silence.

    Ye Chen sat not far from him, his shirt and neck still stained with some cream. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, staring at the unfinished wine on the coffee table. He spoke softly, ¡°Come on, buddy, what exactly happened between you and Lin Xiao Wan?¡±

    Nathan¡¯s chest heaved violently, and he mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, that¡¯s why she broke up with me.¡±

    Ye Chen impatiently sneered, ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about why you broke up, I just want to know how you got engaged!¡±

    Nathan slowly removed his hands from his face and gazed tenderly at the men¡¯s ring on his middle finger. It seemed as though he had finally found someone to confide in, and he couldn¡¯t help but start to explain how he met Xiao Wan.

    Ye Chen was about to interrupt him, but when the words reached his lips, some strange force pushed them back. He watched Nathan¡¯s face, filled with deep tenderness and obsession, and felt his heart sink further. In the end, he didn¡¯t say anything and quietly listened to Nathan begin his story¡­

    Nathan and Xiao Wan met in June of the previous year. He remembered it was the opening day of his bar. To celebrate the opening and attract more customers, Nathan invited many friends from his circle to come. The atmosphere in the bar that night was lively, and as the owner, Nathan was busy but felt a great sense of joy.

    His father ran more than twenty chain hotels and high-end restaurants in the U.S., and having grown up under his father¡¯s guidance, Nathan had a strong passion for business. His father and son had a very good relationship. After graduating from college, Nathan worked in hotel management for three years, during which he showed excellent management talent. His father had high expectations for him and wanted to hand over a few hotels for him to manage immediately.

    However, Nathan had different ideas from his father on this matter. He wanted to expand the family business and venture into the bar industry. While bars may not sound as elegant as hotels and fine dining, they were much faster in terms of making money. After discussing it with his father, his father agreed to his idea. So, with the startup capital his father gave him, Nathan opened the bar in N City¡¯s prime area, where land was extremely expensive.

    On the first day of opening, Nathan naturally hoped everything would go smoothly, but unexpectedly, a disturbance happened at one of the booths.

    After receiving a report from a server, Nathan hurried over and saw his friend Andrew being hit on the head with a wine bottle. His hair and face were covered in red wine, and there was glass shards on his shirt. He was angrily trying to beat up the person who had attacked him.

    Andrew had a well-known fiery temper in their circle. His family wasn¡¯t as influential as Nathan¡¯s, but they were still a notable family. Normally, no one would dare to mess with Andrew. But today, someone had the audacity to attack him, and even more surprising, it was a girl!

    When Nathan arrived at the scene, he saw the girl in a leopard-print mini skirt turn around and glare at him with sharp eyes. She had an unusually beautiful face, and her large eyes emitted a cold light. Despite giving off unfriendly vibes, Nathan¡¯s heart still raced a little.

    The black-haired girl gave him a glare, then contemptuously looked at Andrew beside her: ¡°No way, Andrew, you called for help already? Do you want me to call your mommy to come pick you up?¡±

    ¡°You son of a¡ª¡± Andrew tried to charge at her, but several waiters held him back. Nathan quickly stepped in between them and, in order to avoid making a scene, said to the black-haired girl, ¡°Miss, no matter what happened, you can¡¯t attack my guest like that. You¡¯re not welcome here. Could you please leave?¡±

    The black-haired girl sneered, jumped over Nathan, and pointed at Andrew: ¡°Do you know what this guy did to his own sister? This afternoon, he just beat his sister so badly she ended up in the hospital with broken ribs, and tonight he¡¯s here drinking and hitting on girls! If it weren¡¯t for wanting to teach him a lesson, I wouldn¡¯t even step into this trashy place!¡±

    ÒÔÏÂÊÇ¸Ã¶ÎµÄ·­Òë£º

    ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Who the hell are you calling trash?!¡± Andrew yelled angrily from behind.

    The black-haired girl immediately responded loudly, ¡°I¡¯m talking about you! You shameless bastard, hitting your own sister! Let me tell you, be careful when you¡¯re walking down the street in the future, or I can¡¯t guarantee that one day I¡¯ll hit you with a car if the brakes fail!¡±

    Andrew roared, ¡°Nathan, are you still my buddy? Tell your people to let go of me! I¡¯m going to kill this slut¡ª¡±

    Seeing that things were about to get out of control, Nathan quickly grabbed the black-haired girl and tried to pull her outside the bar, while reminding the waiters to keep an eye on Andrew inside. He had just pulled the black-haired girl outside when she angrily shook off his hand, snapping, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±

    Nathan said, ¡°Sorry, miss, this is my bar¡¯s opening day. I don¡¯t want any trouble, and Andrew is a friend of mine, so I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave for now.¡±

    The black-haired girl crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him. ¡°Oh, so this crappy bar is yours? Then I¡¯ll give you a grand opening gift.¡±

    With that, she took off one of her high heels and threw it forcefully at the bar¡¯s electronic sign. A loud bang sounded as the sign sparked and then went out.

    Nathan couldn¡¯t help but get angry, ¡°Hey! You¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you Andrew¡¯s good buddy? Are you going to hit me?¡± The black-haired girl said as she threw off the other shoe, walking barefoot toward the roadside. ¡°It makes sense, since you¡¯re good buddies, you probably like hitting women too!¡±

    She stopped next to a Porsche, looked coldly at Nathan, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three seconds. Come over here and hit me now, or I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Nathan, of course, didn¡¯t move. The girl waited for a moment, saw that he was still standing still, and sneered. ¡°Coward,¡± she cursed, then got into the car and drove away.

    Nathan exhaled angrily and helplessly, turning back to the bar to deal with Andrew. After being comforted by a few waitresses, his hot-tempered friend had calmed down a bit, now holding a girl and drinking heavily.

    Nathan thought for a moment, then walked over, sat beside him, and asked, ¡°Buddy, you okay? Do you want me to call a doctor?¡±

    Andrew shook his head. ¡°No need. It¡¯s just a bottle. I¡¯m not that fragile. What about that slut? Did you let her go?¡±

    Although Nathan also liked women, he had always been polite to them. So, hearing Andrew refer to the black-haired girl like that, Nathan furrowed his brow slightly and explained, ¡°Yes, my bar is just opening. You wouldn¡¯t want to make me close early tonight, would you?¡±

    Andrew shrugged. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you off the hook today. But if I see her again, I¡¯ll definitely teach her a lesson! That slut, daring to hit me!¡±

    Nathan, who had been taught by his father not to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, found it hard to ask questions. But today, he couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°So why did she hit you earlier? Is it really like she said¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did hit my sister, so what?¡± Andrew slammed his glass onto the table, saying as if it were justified. ¡°I broke her bones, so what? I spared her life, that¡¯s already generous! Do you know what that bitch said to our parents today? She actually asked them for living expenses! She knows our parents¡¯ money is supposed to be for me, and she still dares to covet it! How could I not teach her a lesson?¡±

    Nathan couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow tightly. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, your sister¡­ she should be in college, right¡­?¡±

    Andrew snorted disdainfully. ¡°So what? We never planned to let her go to that damn college. She secretly applied herself! Our parents allowing her to go to school is already a huge favor. What does she want? You know, we originally planned to make her work at the family factory, at least she¡¯d bring in some money. But now? That damn college she wants to attend for four years, do you know how much that¡¯s costing me?¡±

    Nathan had always heard that Andrew¡¯s parents treated their two children differently, but he never imagined it was to this extreme! The sister only asked for a little living expense, and she was beaten by her brother to the point of hospitalization, while their parents seemed to condone it! Nathan also had a sister, but his parents treated them equally. His sister lived freely and happily, like a little elf. He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what life was like for Andrew¡¯s sister.

    It must have been like living in hell, where she couldn¡¯t rely on or trust even her closest family.

    At this moment, Nathan fully understood the black-haired girl¡¯s actions. If it weren¡¯t for the relationship between their families, he would have really wanted to smash a bottle over Andrew¡¯s head.

    However, although he couldn¡¯t hit people, there were still other things he could do. Nathan stood up and said to the waiters, ¡°You guys, please escort Mr. Andrew out.¡±

    Andrew, who was drinking, widened his eyes in surprise and said, ¡°Bro, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to leave. My establishment doesn¡¯t welcome people like you,¡± Nathan replied coldly.

    Andrew thought he was joking and laughed, ¡°Why? Just because I hit my sister? What¡¯s the big deal? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°This is no small matter. I also have a sister, and I completely disagree with what you did,¡± Nathan said seriously, looking at him with his hands clenched into fists. ¡°Please leave immediately, or I can¡¯t guarantee I won¡¯t use force to make you leave.¡±

    Andrew looked at him like he was a monster, snorted, smashed his glass on the ground, and turned to leave. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m leaving! I don¡¯t want to be at a place like this anyway!¡±

    Nathan, worried he might cause more trouble, followed him to ensure he left in his car before heading back inside. However, just as he turned to go back into the bar, he noticed a pink high heel lying on the ground nearby.

    He paused, realizing the shoe belonged to the black-haired girl.

    What had Andrew called her again? Lin¡­ Xiaowan?

    A very nice-sounding Eastern name.

    As he thought about it, Nathan walked over, picked up the shoe, and held it in his broad hand as he returned to the bar. He wasn¡¯t sure why he had picked it up, but ever since that night, he had carefully placed the high heel in the bar¡¯s office cabinet. However, the owner of the shoe never showed up again.

    Until two months later.

    One day, as usual, Nathan was working in the bar when an important guest arrived, and he went over to chat with them. Not long after, a commotion suddenly erupted from the stage. A group of men gathered below, whistling loudly at a girl on stage.

    Nathan walked closer and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes. Though he had only seen her once, he would never mistake her. The girl swaying sensually on stage, wearing a cream-colored blouse and denim shorts, was the very same Lin Xiaowan.

    He hurried toward her, feeling excitement and anticipation that he didn¡¯t even realize. On stage, Lin Xiaowan, with her slender waist twisting around the tall microphone stand, had a rosy flush on her cheeks from drinking. Her gaze looked hazy as she danced and yelled at the men below, ¡°Hey! If I jump down now, who will catch me? If you do, I¡¯ll go home with you tonight! What do you guys think?¡±

    The men, captivated by her graceful movements and beautiful face, cheered excitedly, ¡°Jump! Go ahead! We¡¯re ready!¡±

    ¡°Jump, beautiful! I promise you a night you¡¯ll never forget!¡±

    With a seductive smile on her lips, Lin Xiaowan took a deep breath, leaped into the crowd below.

    In that moment, Nathan used all his strength to push through the crowd and rushed to catch her, finally succeeding in holding her in his arms.

 32.drinking alcohol

    Here is the translation of the passage you provided:

    The men around, who failed to catch Xiaowan, couldn¡¯t help but let out disappointed sighs. A few of them wanted to step forward toÕù, but when they saw that it was Nathan holding this beautiful, seductive girl, they immediately lost the courage to move forward. Xiaowan, upon recognizing who was holding her, furrowed her pretty brows and immediately tried to push Nathan away. With a drunken slur, she shouted, ¡°Why is it you? This doesn¡¯t count! I want to jump again!¡±

    Nathan, however, could not allow her to jump again. Although the guests in his bar were all either rich or influential, men were still men, and their nature was the same. Who wouldn¡¯t want to take advantage of a young and beautiful woman like Xiaowan? How could he let this girl, who had stirred his heart, fall into someone else¡¯s arms?

    So he used some strength to control her struggling body and said, ¡°You¡¯re drunk, miss. When you sober up tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll regret your actions. Let me take you somewhere safe now.¡±

    Xiaowan kicked her two slender, fair legs and stubbornly said, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk! Let me tell you, my drinking capacity is just fine! Let go of me, I¡¯ll sleep with whatever man I want, none of your business!¡±

    Nathan didn¡¯t engage in an argument with her but directly carried her into his office. Outside the bar, the music was loud and the crowd noisy, but this office had excellent soundproofing, and the interior was very elegant. There was even a small resting area for Nathan to take a break.

    Nathan initially planned to let Xiaowan rest in the small lounge, but unexpectedly, she suddenly punched him in the face and broke free from his arms. However, when she landed on the floor, her high heels slipped, and her left ankle twisted. Xiaowan immediately sat on the ground, gasping in pain.

    Nathan, seeing this, quickly forgot about his sore nose and rushed to help her to the nearby couch, asking, ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Is it serious? Should I call my personal doctor?¡±

    Xiaowan, upon hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but laugh and look at him, saying, ¡°Calling a doctor to treat a sprained ankle at a bar? Are you crazy?¡±

    Nathan helplessly said, ¡°Then let me take a look? It seems like your ankle is swollen¡ª¡±

    But as soon as he reached out his hand, Xiaowan slapped it away, giving him a cold stare and biting back, ¡°Who are you? Are we familiar? You start touching a lady like this? No wonder you¡¯re friends with that scumbag Andrew. You and he are cut from the same cloth!¡±

    ¡­It seemed that she still clearly remembered him. Nathan felt a little embarrassed by Xiaowan¡¯s words but, at the same time, felt an inexplicable sense of joy in his heart. He quickly took a step back and said, ¡°You misunderstood me, miss. I have no ill intentions toward you. I just didn¡¯t want you to act recklessly like you did on stage and later regret it, so I brought you here to cool down.¡±

    ¡°Why should I regret it? It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Xiaowan gave him an eye roll and was about to get up and leave. However, as soon as she tried to stand, she let out a cry and collapsed back onto the couch. Her ankle really hurt too much.

    Nathan immediately said, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll leave for now. You can rest here, and when your ankle feels better, you can leave. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡±

    Xiaowan glanced around the office, seemingly satisfied with the environment, then casually lay down on the couch and tossed him a white-eyed look, saying, ¡°Get out, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    ¡­Hey, this is my office! Shouldn¡¯t you say thank you? Nathan helplessly muttered in his heart but resignedly stepped out and closed the door gently. However, he was still worried that her ankle might be seriously injured, so he went to a nearby pharmacy and bought some ointment for her sprain.

    When he left earlier, Xiaowan had been nonchalantly stepping on his leather couch with her high heels, but when Nathan returned with the ointment and opened the door, he was surprised to find that she had completely changed.

    The girl had curled up into a small ball on the couch, wiping the tears streaming from her red, swollen eyes, looking as pitiful as a stray dog abandoned on the street.

    Nathan¡¯s heart tightened. Just as he was about to ask what had happened, Xiaowan, lying on the couch, noticed he was back. She was startled at first, then immediately turned over, facing away from him, and shouted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t disturb me again? Why are you back?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ sorry, I was just worried about your injury, so I bought some ointment for you.¡± Nathan gently placed the ointment on the small round table next to the couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡±

    ¡°Get out.¡± Xiaowan said calmly, but her voice still had a hoarseness from crying.

    Nathan, who was already at the door, turned back at the last moment and cautiously asked, ¡°Sorry for asking, but you seem very upset. Could you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help.¡±

    Xiaowan immediately scoffed and still had her back to him, saying, ¡°Stop it. I don¡¯t need help from the scumbag friend of that Andrew, who beats his own sister.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really friends with Andrew. Our families just have some business dealings,¡± Nathan quickly explained. ¡°After you left that day, I found out the truth. I want you to know, I think you did the right thing. I also have a sister, and I¡¯ve always treated her like an angel, caring for her. I can¡¯t understand why Andrew would be so cruel to his own sister. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve cut ties with him.¡±

    The girl on the sofa was silent for a moment, then turned her head to reveal one eye, suspiciously asking, ¡°Really?¡±

    Nathan nodded seriously, ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the waitstaff here. Andrew¡¯s name has been placed on the bar¡¯s blacklist. Also, after my parents found out about this, they were very upset and reduced their dealings with his family. We had originally wanted to help Andrew¡¯s poor sister, but we heard she left her home not long ago.¡±

    ¡°Of course, she left.¡± Xiao Wan said somewhat proudly, ¡°I was the one who convinced her to leave that dysfunctional family. As long as she¡¯s strong and independent, even without those incompetent parents, Maggie can live well, even better than she ever did.¡±

    Nathan looked at her, unable to hide a slight appreciative smile, and said, ¡°I believe you.¡±

    Xiao Wan stared at him for a while before sitting up. The disdain in her gaze was replaced with admiration as she said, ¡°Hmph, I used to really dislike you, but¡­ forget it. At least you¡¯re a rich, heartless playboy with a little bit of conscience.¡±

    Nathan chuckled, ¡°Playboy? Where did you hear that?¡±

    Xiao Wan rolled her eyes, staring at the ceiling dryly, ¡°Nathan Brown, the proud son of the chairman of Brown Hotels, worth at least 300 million dollars. You¡¯re 29 and still don¡¯t have a steady partner. Your life¡¯s motto is ¡®If I can sleep with women, why should I marry them?¡¯ With all that, you still have the nerve to claim you¡¯re not a playboy? I¡¯m giving you face by not calling you a womanizer.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    For the first time in his life, Nathan was embarrassed by someone¡¯s words. He rubbed his nose, unsure where to look, and said, ¡°Cough, I didn¡¯t expect you to know so much about me.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Xiao Wan casually shook her slender legs while sitting on the sofa, saying leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s your turf. I can easily find out anything. Besides, I¡¯m a professional gold digger. If I can¡¯t even gather this kind of information, what am I even doing?¡±

    Nathan was slightly surprised. Honestly, most of the women he had been with were gold diggers, but none had ever been so direct about it. They would usually go to great lengths to present themselves as the high-minded kind who didn¡¯t care about money. After all, men liked women who loved them, not their wealth. So, a gold digger would usually keep their true nature hidden.

    Who would have thought this girl would just say it outright?

    Seeing Nathan¡¯s surprised expression, Xiao Wan chuckled and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Surprised? You look down on me because I¡¯m a gold digger? Pfft! Don¡¯t act all high and mighty in front of me, Mr. Brown. You¡¯re no better than me. We¡¯re both just playing around with life. The only difference is you¡¯re a man and a rich second-generation, so no one dares to call you out for your chaotic personal life.¡±

    Her words weren¡¯t pleasant, but they were true. Nathan had always been self-aware. In front of such a straightforward girl, all the pretenses seemed unnecessary. He smiled slightly and said, ¡°I am a bit surprised. But I don¡¯t look down on you. I¡¯m just¡­ happy.¡±

    ¡°Happy?¡± Xiao Wan looked at him like he was an idiot.

    Nathan gave her his trademark charming smile, saying, ¡°Happy that you¡¯re so honest and understand me so well. It shows I¡¯m favored by you, right? Since you know me so well, could you give me a chance to understand you as well?¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t dream about it, I¡¯m already seeing someone¡ª¡±

    But she suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as if remembering something sad. Her face darkened, and she lowered her head. All the earlier arrogance faded, and she turned back to lie down on the sofa, muttering, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore. I want to sleep. Please leave.¡±

    Nathan vaguely guessed what might have happened, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask directly. He didn¡¯t want the conversation to end just yet, so he tentatively asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Should I bring you something to eat?¡±

    Unexpectedly, this question hit a sore spot with Xiao Wan. She couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of food and immediately turned her head, looking at him with her big eyes, like a little squirrel peeking out of its tree hole, asking, ¡°Do you have red wine foie gras?¡±

    Without thinking, Nathan replied, ¡°Yes, just wait for me. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    He rushed to the bar, told the bartender what he needed, and received a strange look from the bartender. ¡°Boss, are you okay? This is a bar, we don¡¯t serve foie gras. Maybe you want some dried fruit to snack on?¡±

    Nathan realized he¡¯d lost his mind asking such a question. Sigh, this girl had not only stirred his heart but lowered his IQ too. He quickly said it wasn¡¯t necessary and rushed out of the bar, driving his sports car to his Michelin-starred restaurant, BForest, calling the chef back to prepare a portion of foie gras, then grabbed a bottle of champagne and raced back to the bar.

    When he arrived at the office door, out of breath and holding the food, Xiaowan didn¡¯t express any gratitude. Instead, she shot him a glare and complained, ¡°Why are you so slow? I¡¯m about to starve to death.¡±

    Nathan had more or less figured out her temperament. He knew that she was sharp-tongued, but deep down, she was kind-hearted, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have stood up for Andrew¡¯s poor sister. So, he didn¡¯t argue with her. He placed the food in front of her and said, ¡°Here¡¯s the foie gras you wanted. Try it.¡±

    Xiaowan immediately picked up a fork, speared a piece of foie gras, and savored it carefully. Soon, she let out a purring sound like a cat and happily exclaimed, ¡°This is so delicious! It melts in your mouth, so delicate and tender! Where did you buy it?¡±

    Nathan couldn¡¯t help but smile proudly, ¡°It¡¯s made at the restaurant my family owns.¡±

    ¡°This is so good! What¡¯s the name of the restaurant? I must go!¡± she asked.

    ¡°BForest,¡± Nathan smiled and said, ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll treat you next time. The restaurant¡¯s business is booming, though, so if you go on your own, you¡¯ll have to wait in line for three or four months.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s that one. I¡¯ve actually wanted to go for a long time.¡± But Xiaowan didn¡¯t directly respond to his invitation. Instead, she opened the champagne, poured herself a glass, and asked him, ¡°Do you want some?¡±

    Nathan nodded, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll have a little.¡±

    So the two of them sat facing each other at a small table, not even friends yet already conversing and drinking as though they were. Before long, Xiaowan finished an entire bottle of champagne. She smacked her lips and said, ¡°This wine is so weak. You¡¯re the owner of a bar, bring me something stronger!¡±

    Nathan hesitated, ¡°But I think you¡¯ve already had quite a bit¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about drinking myself into oblivion. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Xiaowan shot him a look. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for money, hurry up and bring me the best wine here!¡±

    With no other choice, Nathan walked over to his liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of brandy he had been keeping for a long time. Just as he was opening the bottle, Xiaowan suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Hey, why does this shoe look so familiar?¡±

    Nathan¡¯s face turned purple instantly. How could he explain this to her? How could he tell her he had randomly picked up the shoe and treasured it enough to place it in his important liquor cabinet? She would never believe that, and might even think he had some kind of weird fetish!

    Quickly, he made up an excuse: ¡°Oh! I¡¯m friends with the general manager of this brand. This shoe is a souvenir from their company! I just thought it was unique, so I placed it here.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and glanced at him. Before Nathan could stop her, she quickly grabbed the shoe and turned it over, showing him the bottom, saying, ¡°This Christian Louboutin brand sure knows how to give me face. The bottom of the souvenir even has my name, Lin Xiaowan, engraved on it.¡±

    Nathan stared at the three Chinese characters engraved on the sole. Although he didn¡¯t understand the meaning, the bold and powerful handwriting gave him the feeling that a man had engraved those words for Xiaowan.

    His face turned red with embarrassment. He had never imagined that his lie would be exposed so easily! He, a grown man, had just picked up the shoe and placed it in the cabinet without realizing there was a hidden message on the sole!

    Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and enjoyed watching Nathan, a strong man, turn red and not know what to do. She laughed, tossing the shoe back into his arms, and teased him, ¡°What, were you pretending to be Cinderella? Picking up shoes and all. Hey, tell me, do you have a foot fetish?¡±

    Nathan immediately protested, ¡°Of course not! I just¡­ I just¡­¡±

    ¡°Just what? Tell me,¡± Xiaowan said, hopping closer, crossing her arms and looking at him, even though Nathan was physically stronger and taller, he couldn¡¯t put up any stance in front of this fragile girl.

    Eventually, he was backed into a corner, leaning against the wall. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes, saying seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t know why. But after seeing you at the bar that day, I just couldn¡¯t forget you. I picked up the shoe just to keep a memento, because I thought you¡¯d never show up again. After all, our encounter in the bar wasn¡¯t very pleasant¡­¡±

    Xiaowan seemed to be taken aback by his directness. She froze for a moment, then pursed her lips and hopped back to the sofa. Nathan was pleased to notice that her cheeks seemed a little flushed. Could it be that she also¡­

    But Xiaowan quickly said, ¡°You think I wanted to come? I just went into a bar because I was in a bad mood and didn¡¯t care about the name. Who would have thought I¡¯d bump into you! Now stop standing there and come drink. The stuff in your liquor cabinet isn¡¯t bad! I¡¯m going to finish them all tonight!¡±

    If it had been anyone else, even Nathan¡¯s most respected father, he would have refused to let them drink all his wine. But that night, Nathan didn¡¯t know what came over him, and he really did let Xiaowan drink one bottle after another.

    By the end of the night, both of them were drunk and disoriented, lying on the sofa. Xiaowan leaned against one side of the sofa while Nathan squatted beside her, still half-drunk, rubbing ointment on her swollen ankle. Xiaowan took out her phone, checked the time, and murmured, ¡°His match should be over by now¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? What match?¡± Nathan could barely keep his eyes open but still tried to apply the ointment to her injury.

    Xiaowan was silent for a moment, and then her eyes suddenly turned red. She jumped up, grabbed Nathan¡¯s collar, and choked, ¡°Do you know? I really thought I could make it work with him, but he disappointed me again. I really want to forgive him, but I just can¡¯t! So I broke up with him. I thought¡­ after so many men, breaking up would be easy for me, but¡­ but I¡¯m still so sad. It feels like my heart¡¯s been ripped out. No matter how much I drink, I can still feel the pain¡­¡±

    Nathan, though drunk, was still rational. He had suspected that Xiaowan didn¡¯t just get drunk and go up on stage to dance for no reason, and she had mentioned that she would belong to the man who could catch her tonight. He didn¡¯t expect it to be because she had broken up with someone.

    From her description, he guessed that she must have been betrayed by her boyfriend. Nathan knew he should feel sorry for her, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel overjoyed upon learning she was single. He felt like running out into the streets to celebrate.

    But seeing her distressed and hurt expression, Nathan couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. He gently comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s normal. Anyone would feel sad and hurt after a breakup. But time will heal everything. Believe me, when you meet the right person, he won¡¯t make you feel sad anymore.¡±

    Xiaowan leaned in close to him, with red eyes and a pitiful look, asking eagerly, ¡°Then tell me, where is that man who won¡¯t make me sad?¡±

    Nathan opened his mouth, about to say something, but before he could, the woman in front of him collapsed into his arms, fast asleep.

    Nathan looked down at the teardrops hanging at the corners of her eyes. Unable to resist, he gently wiped them away. He wanted to carry her to the rest room so she could sleep properly, but Xiaowan clung to him like a cat. Each time Nathan tried to pick her up, Xiaowan would resist in her sleep, refusing to move. Eventually, Nathan gave up and sat on the sofa, allowing her to lean against him, playing the role of a human pillow.

    Of course, Nathan didn¡¯t sleep well that night and woke up early the next morning. However, since the girl in his arms was still sleeping soundly, Nathan didn¡¯t move. Unfortunately, the bartender, who was about to finish work, came in at that moment and called out, ¡°Boss¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± Nathan quickly made a quieting gesture, but it was too late. Xiaowan stirred, slowly opened her eyes, and stared at him for two seconds. Then, seeing their ambiguous position, she immediately looked frustrated and crazy, before sternly asking him a question, ¡°Damn it! Did you wear protection last night?¡±

 33.cause

    Poof¡ª¡ª¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn¡¯t help but spit out a mouthful of wine, turning to ask Nathan beside him, ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­ Did she really say that?¡±

    Nathan wore a nostalgic yet sorrowful smile, gently nodding, ¡°Yes. She¡¯s just that unexpected kind of girl.¡±

    Ye Chen scoffed, muttering, ¡°Come to think of it, that damn woman could really say something like that.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Gu, what did you say?¡± Nathan didn¡¯t hear clearly.

    Ye Chen quickly cleared his throat and shook his head, ¡°Nothing, continue with the story.¡±

    And so the memories continued¡ª

    When Nathan heard Xiao Wan¡¯s question, he was momentarily embarrassed, but then came to his senses and said, ¡°Uh, no¡­ What I mean is, nothing happened between us last night.¡±

    Xiao Wan had already climbed up from his arms, putting on her shoes while speaking to him in the tone of someone with experience: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Rich Second Generation, I won¡¯t take advantage of this opportunity to get pregnant with your child and then marry into a wealthy family. I just want to make sure whether or not you used protection, so I can decide whether or not to take the pill.¡±

    The service worker, still stunned, was standing by the door, watching. Nathan couldn¡¯t help but turn bright red, signaling the worker to leave while explaining to Xiao Wan, ¡°Miss Lin, I swear on my character, nothing happened last night.¡±

    ¡°Can you trust the character of a playboy like you?¡± Xiao Wan immediately shot him a look, ¡°You men are all the same. When asked to wear a condom, you all come up with a million excuses¡ª¡®It doesn¡¯t feel right,¡¯ ¡®If you love me, you should let me finish inside,¡¯ ¡®We¡¯ll just get married if you get pregnant,¡¯ blah, blah, blah. But when push comes to shove, if I really got pregnant, you¡¯d run faster than Bolt! In the end, it¡¯s always us women who get the short end of the stick. You men don¡¯t care at all.¡±

    Nathan¡¯s face turned beet red. He was from high society, and although he had often been with women, he had never heard such blunt and biting remarks from them.

    But he had to admit that Xiao Wan was speaking the truth¡ªsometimes men could be selfish for the sake of their own pleasure, not caring about the women they were with. So, he seriously explained, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, Miss Lin. Last night you fell asleep in my arms while drunk and wouldn¡¯t let go, so I just held you because I didn¡¯t want to wake you up. Besides, look, we¡¯re both fully clothed!¡±

    Xiao Wan stared at their clothes for a while, and Nathan thought she was starting to believe him. But then Xiao Wan suddenly had an epiphany and looked at him, ¡°I know now! Oh my god, you¡¯re impotent!¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Nathan almost choked on his own saliva, ¡°Excuse me, what did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said you¡¯re impotent.¡± Xiao Wan said seriously, ¡°No man has ever spent an entire night with me without something happening, so you must have a problem in that area. Poor thing, do you need me to call a doctor for you?¡±

    Nathan was about to throw her out of the office! He had been kind enough to act as her human pillow for the whole night, and now this was the feedback he got¡ª¡°Impotent¡±? This damn woman could at least say thank you! But looking at her bright, lively eyes, his anger couldn¡¯t seem to emerge.

    Finally, Nathan helplessly shook his head, wearing an expression of ¡°fine, believe whatever you want,¡± and said, ¡°If your foot is fine, I¡¯ll take you out. The place is closed during the day, I¡¯m about to close up.¡±

    Xiao Wan moved her ankle and realized it no longer hurt. She then rummaged through her bag, took out a watch, and handed it to Nathan. ¡°Here.¡±

    Nathan stared at the Jaeger-LeCoultre women¡¯s watch, confused, ¡°What do you want me to do with this?¡±

    Xiao Wan winked at him, seriously saying, ¡°Paying for your services. Although you¡¯re impotent, you still kept me company all night, and your body doesn¡¯t look bad either, so I¡¯ll reluctantly give you a passing grade for last night¡¯s service.¡±

    Nathan couldn¡¯t take it anymore and finally snapped, shouting, ¡°Pay you for what? If anyone is paying, it¡¯s me paying you, okay! What kind of woman are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hahaha.¡± But Xiao Wan suddenly clutched her stomach and laughed, pointing at him, ¡°You¡­ you are just too easy to mess with. Want to look in the mirror and see yourself? You¡¯re really hilarious!¡±

    What? So all that serious talk was just messing with him? Nathan glared at her in frustration, looking disgusted. ¡°Just go, go already. My family has a history of high blood pressure, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to make me explode.¡±

    ¡°Poof¡­¡± Xiao Wan held back her laughter and waved at him, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave, thanks for comforting me last night, Mr. Brown.¡±

    Nathan watched her smile at him, and his heart couldn¡¯t help but warm up. He shook his head, ¡°No big deal, it was nothing.¡±

    Xiao Wan smiled beautifully again and then turned to leave.

    Nathan stood still, stunned for a moment, and then slapped his head¡ªwhat was he thinking?! Why did he just let her go like that? At least he should have asked for her number and invited her to dinner!

    Sigh, all this frustration had muddled his mind!

    Nathan hurriedly caught up, fearing that Xiao Wan had already driven off, but when he reached the door, he saw Xiao Wan standing by the road, looking furious. Seeing Nathan catch up, she immediately walked over and kicked him, angrily saying, ¡°What kind of bar owner are you! My car got towed!¡±

    Nathan winced in pain but explained, ¡°It¡¯s probably because business was so good last night, there wasn¡¯t enough space to park, so they towed your car. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call the tow company.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too late, I was originally going to go to school.¡± Xiao Wan impatiently took out her phone to check the time. ¡°Forget it, forget it, I¡¯ll just take a taxi.¡±

    If he foolishly missed this opportunity, Nathan would definitely regret it. So he quickly grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°How about I drive you? Where¡¯s your school?¡±

    Xiao Wan thought for a moment and then agreed. Nathan told the waiter to bring his car to the entrance and then, like a gentleman, opened the door for her.

    However, Xiao Wan didn¡¯t rush to get in. Instead, she walked around his car and said, ¡°Tsk tsk, an Aston Martin, not bad. But I still don¡¯t understand, why do men like cars so much?¡±

    Nathan laughed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t really explain it, maybe it¡¯s because deep down we yearn to drive the best car and explore the widest world.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, and you all want to sleep with the most beautiful women too,¡± Xiao Wan rolled her eyes, then lowered her head and got into the car. ¡°Hurry up, or I¡¯ll be late.¡±

    Nathan quickly got into the sports car. Xiao Wan told him the name of her school, and Nathan was surprised because it was the best art university in the country. He wanted to ask her what major she studied, but Xiao Wan wasn¡¯t interested in talking and instead took out her phone to take a selfie.

    She leaned against Nathan¡¯s shoulder, included his shoulder and the steering wheel in the shot, and asked, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m posting a photo of your car on Instagram, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± Nathan said.

    Xiao Wan smiled and ruffled his hair, ¡°Good boy.¡±

    Nathan silently complained in his mind, thinking: ¡°Am I your pet? You call me a good boy?¡±

    But somehow, after she touched his hair, a warm, tingling sensation spread through him. Nathan, who was experienced with women, felt like he had reverted to his younger days, and the touch from this delicate woman made him react so strongly. Even after driving her to her school gate, the heat still hadn¡¯t subsided.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He opened the door for Xiao Wan, and she immediately waved at him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going now, thanks for the ride.¡±

    What? That¡¯s it? Nathan quickly rushed up to her and said, ¡°Wait, Miss Lin, can I get your contact information?¡±

    Xiao Wan stopped, looked at him with a flirtatious gaze, and said sweetly, ¡°What do you need my contact for, Mr. Brown?¡±

    Nathan, who was usually direct with women, turned red and stammered, ¡°I¡­ uh, I just¡­ want to¡­ maybe take you out for a meal sometime.¡±

    ¡°Is it just a meal?¡± Xiao Wan asked, looking at him innocently. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    Nathan had to muster up some courage and said seriously, ¡°Okay, not just a meal. I¡­ I kind of like you. If possible, would you consider dating me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Xiao Wan winked at him, then turned and skipped up the stairs like a butterfly.

    Nathan shouted behind her, ¡°Wait, you still haven¡¯t given me your contact info!¡±

    Xiao Wan answered from afar, ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I¡¯m free!¡±

    Nathan helplessly watched her walk away, wondering if she would really contact him or if she was just saying that to brush him off. With unease, he got back into the car. Suddenly, he noticed a message notification on his phone.

    It turned out that he had gained a new follower on Instagram. Nathan, who had just casually opened the app, froze when he saw that the new follower was none other than Xiao Wan.

    Then, he received a comment from her: ¡°Pick me up at 6 PM at school, I¡¯m going to your restaurant for dinner. You¡¯re treating me!¡±

    Nathan couldn¡¯t help but smile, quickly replying, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Then, he couldn¡¯t resist opening Xiao Wan¡¯s Instagram. Just two minutes ago, she had uploaded a photo¡ªthe one she had taken earlier in his car. The caption read in English: ¡°New sugar daddy, and his supercar. Well, he seems a little dumb, but surprisingly, I kind of like him.¡±

    Nathan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It was the first time anyone had called him dumb! And she even called him a ¡°sugar daddy!¡± He should be angry, but for some reason, he just couldn¡¯t stop smiling.

    At this point, Nathan took out his phone and showed the photo to the nearby Ye Chen. ¡°I still have that photo she posted.¡±

    Ye Chen took the phone, looked at the picture where Xiao Wan was leaning against Nathan, blowing a kiss to the camera, and a surge of anger rose inside him. He wanted to grab her from the photo and maybe put a bow on her lips, to teach this woman a lesson so she wouldn¡¯t post such seductive pictures in the future!

    ¡°It sounds like a good start,¡± Ye Chen said after calming down. ¡°But why did you break up? Didn¡¯t you two get engaged?¡±

    ¡°The problem started with the engagement.¡± Nathan¡¯s smile slowly faded as he furrowed his brow. ¡°When I proposed to Xiao Wan, we had only known each other for a little over three months. I knew it seemed rushed, but I just didn¡¯t want other men to have the chance to covet her. I wanted to tie her down with marriage. I begged her for a long time before she finally agreed, and we decided to get engaged first, and then get married after she graduated. But then¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ye Chen slightly tightened his grip on the cigarette.

    Nathan sighed deeply, his voice tinged with sadness, ¡°I wanted to take her to meet my parents and sister. She didn¡¯t want to, saying she didn¡¯t like that kind of family atmosphere and just wanted to live with me. But I couldn¡¯t distance myself from my family. After all, my parents had been so good to me over the years, and I had to take on responsibilities for the family business in the future. So I did everything I could to convince her, and finally, she agreed to meet my parents. But what I didn¡¯t expect was that my parents were very displeased with her. They said a lot of harsh and critical things, and she¡¯s a sharp-tongued person, so she immediately started arguing with my parents at the dinner table.¡±

    Nathan paused and then continued, ¡°I worked hard to calm my parents down, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful towards her. I selfishly thought, if she loved me, she should be more tolerant of my parents, at least not contradicting elders like that. But I didn¡¯t consider that my parents didn¡¯t respect her at all. When I told her my views, Xiao Wan naturally didn¡¯t accept them. She felt that I valued my parents¡¯ wealth over her, that I looked down on her. We kept arguing, and things got more heated until Xiao Wan slammed the door and left, and I¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ye Chen had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

    Nathan painfully covered his eyes. ¡°After I got together with her, I never looked for other girls outside. But after we had that argument, I was so angry that I went to a bar and called a few girls to accompany me. I was just trying to annoy Xiaowan, I didn¡¯t really want to do anything with those girls. But one of them was Asian, dressed a bit like her, and I got drunk. Before I knew it, I was with her¡­¡±

    ¡°You slept with her?¡± Ye Chen asked directly. ¡°Is she the one Xiaowan was talking about, the one you were just friends with?¡±

    Nathan nodded heavily, his eyes full of guilt. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to. The next morning, when I woke up in the office, I found that the person lying next to me wasn¡¯t Xiaowan. I almost went crazy. I gave the girl a large sum of money, told her not to speak of it, but before she could leave, Xiaowan opened the door and came in.¡±

    Ye Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh, taking a large sip of his drink. ¡°This is fate, Nathan. In our Chinese view, this is fate.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, now I kind of believe it,¡± Nathan¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°What makes it worse is that, that morning, Xiaowan was planning to reconcile with me. She sent me a message saying she was willing to try to accept my parents for my sake and wanted to talk to me properly. But what she saw was me lying naked with another woman. You don¡¯t know how desperate her eyes were when she looked at me. Before me, her ex-boyfriend had made another woman pregnant, and that¡¯s why she broke up with him. And I did exactly the same thing as her ex. How could she possibly forgive me?¡±

    Ye Chen didn¡¯t know what to say and could only sigh, patting his good friend¡¯s shoulder.

    Nathan choked for a moment, then said, ¡°The guy she left with today, he¡¯s her boyfriend now, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s also a good friend of mine. Actually, I had been planning to introduce you two,¡± Ye Chen said.

    Nathan gave a bitter smile. ¡°He seems like a decent guy. Help me tell him to take good care of Xiaowan. If he dares to make her sad, no matter the cost, I will take her back.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I will.¡± Ye Chen said with mixed feelings. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I should head back. You shouldn¡¯t be too upset, bro. Get some rest.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Nathan forced a smile. ¡°Thanks for listening to me. I¡¯ve been holding this in for so long, there¡¯s no one I could talk to. It¡¯s really hard.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ye Chen walked to the door, suddenly remembering something, and turned to ask him, ¡°Do you know who Xiaowan¡¯s ex-boyfriend was?¡±

    Nathan said, ¡°You should know him. He¡¯s that NBA star, Hayden Sean, who¡¯s really popular right now.¡±

    Ye Chen¡¯s heart sank. He said, ¡°I see,¡± and turned to walk out.

    After leaving the bar, the cold wind in the late night blew away the last bit of alcohol in Ye Chen¡¯s body. He leaned against his sports car, remembering the time he saw Xiaowan meeting Hayden in the restaurant. Without thinking, he ran over and scolded her for trying to climb back into Hayden¡¯s bed. He couldn¡¯t help but punch the hood of the car in frustration.

    ¡°Ye Chen, you¡¯re such an idiot.¡±

    Chen Xin didn¡¯t get home until around 2 a.m.

    He used the ten dollars Xiaowan had given him to have the clerk at the gas station call an Uber, but the driver was far away, so he had to wait for a long time. Actually, he didn¡¯t have to go through all this trouble. He could have just borrowed the gas station¡¯s phone to call the company driver, or called his friend, and they would have come to pick him up right away.

    But he was a man and didn¡¯t want to be seen in such a sorry state by anyone he knew, so he had to wait for more than 40 minutes at the convenience store in the gas station.

    By the time Chen Xin got home, the servants had already gone to bed. He quietly went upstairs, opened Xiaowan¡¯s bedroom door, and saw her lying on the bed with her back to him, the room only lit by a small nightlight at the bed¡¯s head. It seemed like she was already asleep.

    Chen Xin felt a little resentful. This woman not only abandoned him on the deserted road but then fell asleep without any sense of guilt. Didn¡¯t she care at all that something could happen to her outside?

    But no matter what, he knew he had done something wrong today.

    With this thought in mind, Chen Xin sighed helplessly, quickly washed up in the bathroom, changed clothes, and then went to lie beside Xiaowan, wanting to hold her as he slept. But when he got closer, he noticed that the girl in the bed was trembling slightly.

    ¡°Xiaowan?¡± Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but call out, squeezing her shoulder to turn her around, and froze when he saw her.

    Because Xiaowan wasn¡¯t asleep. She was crying softly with red eyes.

    She had definitely been crying for a long time, as her beautiful eyes were now swollen like fish eyes.

    Chen Xin¡¯s heart softened completely. He hurriedly held her and gently said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s my fault. Take your anger out on me, okay? Don¡¯t cry anymore, it hurts me when you cry.¡±

    But unexpectedly, Xiaowan suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you sorry for? I should be the one saying sorry. Tonight was my fault, I should have come back earlier. As for that girl, I should have been more ruthless with her. I¡¯ll never let another girl touch me again, okay?¡± Chen Xin said, rubbing her soft cheek.

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault,¡± Xiao Wan said, crying as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you on the roadside. I was really angry at that time, but after I calmed down, I wanted to go back and find you, but I was afraid you¡¯d be mad and not want to talk to me. I didn¡¯t mean it, Ah Yang, are you hurt at all?¡±

    As she spoke, she nervously checked his body, her red, swollen eyes scanning him from head to toe.

    This was the first time Xiao Wan had addressed him so intimately, and considering her usual proud character, it was unthinkable for her to lower her guard and apologize to anyone. At this moment, Chen Xin felt as though he would gladly die for her. He couldn¡¯t bear to stay angry, so he quickly kissed her cheek and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m a big man, and I know martial arts. What could possibly happen to me? Tonight was just a walk to get some exercise. Don¡¯t cry, silly girl, I¡¯m not mad at you.¡±

    Xiao Wan sobbed, then kissed him back. The salty taste of her tears quickly spread across their lips, and Chen Xin sighed, stroking her face as he gently urged, ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, okay? I love seeing you happy. Can you smile for me?¡±

    Xiao Wan wanted to smile, but after crying for so long, it was hard for her to stop. Chen Xin thought for a moment and came up with a solution. He quickly poked his finger at his nose and said, ¡°Look, I turned into a little pig.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡ª¡± Xiao Wan finally broke into a smile, snuggling into his chest, rubbing her head against him. ¡°Thank you for not being mad at me. I promise, I¡¯ll never leave you like that again.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Chen Xin kissed her forehead. ¡°Even if you do leave me, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll always come back to you, no matter how hard it is.¡±

    Xiao Wan looked up at him, her eyes glistening, and with a trembling voice, asked, ¡°Really? No matter what, you¡¯ll always come back to me?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded seriously. ¡°I promise, I will.¡±

    Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t hold back her tears again, tightly hugging his chest. Finally, under Chen Xin¡¯s gentle comforting, she slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.

 34.losing composure

    After reconciling, their days passed quickly and sweetly. In the blink of an eye, it was mid-May, and the weather was growing hotter.

    On a weekend afternoon, Xiao Wan sat by the villa¡¯s pool on a lounge chair, sipping fruit juice prepared by Ellie while watching a group of workers installing a small diving platform on the other side of the pool.

    She was wearing a flowing light pink floral dress, half-reclining on the chair with her fair, smooth legs and dainty feet exposed. Her toenails were painted a soft pink, drawing occasional glances from the workers.

    It was scorching hot, and the workers were shirtless, their labor-toned muscles glistening in the sunlight like diamonds from their sweat. Xiao Wan sipped her juice and secretly rated the men¡¯s appearances in her mind. ¡°Hmm, nice muscles, but the face is lacking¡ªcan¡¯t compare to my Xiao Guai. This one has a decent face but not enough muscle¡ªstill can¡¯t beat my Xiao Guai. And this one¡ª¡±

    Wait! Her gaze stopped on the tallest worker in the group. With blond hair, a hint of stubble, and a classic handsome American face, he had both the physique and looks worth appreciating. Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but glance at him a few more times. The blond man noticed her gaze and responded with a charming smile.

    Before Xiao Wan could react, the sound of a car horn interrupted her. She turned to see a very familiar supercar pulling into the driveway¡ªa Bugatti belonging to Ye Chen.

    Xiao Wan¡¯s expression immediately soured. That annoying guy was here again! Actually, ¡°again¡± wasn¡¯t quite right. She hadn¡¯t seen him since she smeared cake on his face at his birthday party. But to Xiao Wan, even if an annoying person showed up once in a century, it still felt like constant torment.

    She turned her head back, ignoring him, but the Bugatti stopped right beside her. Ye Chen got out of the car and approached her, looking at the workers by the pool. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is Chen Xin tearing down his pool?¡±

    Xiao Wan took a sip of her juice and began taking selfies, acting as though Ye Chen didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°¡­¡± Ye Chen paused, then repeated, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, is Chen Xin tearing down his pool?¡±

    Xiao Wan hummed a tune and continued snapping pictures, completely ignoring him.

    Frustrated, Ye Chen glared at her. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you, Lin Xiaowan! How can you just ignore someone like this? I¡¯m your boyfriend¡¯s best friend, after all!¡±

    Finally, Xiao Wan responded lazily, ¡°Who you are doesn¡¯t change the fact that I don¡¯t like you. I¡¯m ignoring you on purpose, so go ahead and get mad.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Ye Chen fumed. ¡°Last time, you ruined my birthday party and smashed cake in my face. I was magnanimous enough to let it go, and now you¡¯re treating me like this?¡±

    ¡°So what? I could do it again if I wanted.¡± Xiao Wan raised her voice, calling toward the villa. ¡°Ellie! Bring me a piece of cake¡ªsomeone¡¯s face here is begging to be smashed!¡±

    ¡°You! Fine, fine, you win!¡± Ye Chen glared at her angrily before turning to walk toward the villa.

    After he left, the blond worker approached Xiao Wan hesitantly and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you okay? Do you need help? That man just now seemed quite rude to you.¡±

    Admiring his chest muscles, abs, and the faint lines of his V-cut, Xiao Wan was about to ask why someone this good-looking wasn¡¯t a celebrity when Ye Chen, now some distance away, turned and shouted back at her, ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Try flirting with someone else, I dare you! Stay away from that blond oaf!¡±

    After the two reconciled, time flew by sweetly and swiftly. In the blink of an eye, it was mid-May, and the weather was growing hotter.

    On a weekend afternoon, Xiao Wan lounged on a beach chair by the villa¡¯s pool, sipping the fruit juice that Aili had prepared while watching a few workers install a small diving platform at the pool¡¯s edge.

    Dressed in a flowing, light pink floral dress, she lay half-reclined, showing off her smooth, fair legs and dainty, adorable feet. Her toenails, painted a soft pink, resembled tiny seashells, catching the attention of the workers, who couldn¡¯t help but sneak glances her way.

    The heat was stifling, and these workers had stripped off their shirts while working, exposing muscles honed from years of labor. Beads of sweat on their skin sparkled like diamonds under the sun. Xiao Wan, sipping her juice, silently rated the men in her heart. ¡°Hmm, nice muscles, but the face doesn¡¯t cut it¡ªstill not as good as my little Chen Xin. This one has a decent face but lacks the build¡ªalso no match for Chen Xin. And this one¡ª¡±

    Wait a second! Her gaze finally landed on the tallest worker, a blond man with a standard American heartthrob look¡ªchiseled features, a light beard, and a well-toned body. Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances. The blond man noticed her gaze and responded with a charming smile.

    Before she could react, the sound of a car horn interrupted her. She turned to see a very familiar sports car pulling into the villa¡ªYe Chen¡¯s Bugatti.

    Xiao Wan frowned in annoyance. What was that annoying guy doing here again? In fairness, ¡°again¡± wasn¡¯t quite accurate; she hadn¡¯t seen Ye Chen since she smashed a cake in his face at his birthday party. But to Xiao Wan, an annoying person could make even a single meeting feel like daily torment.

    So, she turned back and ignored him. But to her surprise, the Bugatti parked right next to her. Ye Chen stepped out, walked over to her side, and looked at the workers by the pool. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Is Chen Xin demolishing his pool?¡±

    Xiao Wan took a sip of her juice and pulled out her phone to snap selfies, pretending Ye Chen didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°¡­¡± Ye Chen paused, then repeated, ¡°Lin Xiaowan, is Chen Xin tearing down his pool?¡±

    Xiao Wan hummed a little tune, snapping pictures left and right, ignoring him completely.

    Frustrated, Ye Chen growled, ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you, Lin Xiaowan! Do you have to be this rude? I¡¯m Chen Xin¡¯s best buddy, after all!¡±

    Finally, Xiao Wan spoke lazily, ¡°So? That doesn¡¯t stop me from disliking you. I just don¡¯t feel like talking to you. Does it piss you off? Good.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Ye Chen fumed. ¡°You ruined my birthday party last time and smashed cake in my face. I let it slide, and now you¡¯re treating me like this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I wouldn¡¯t. I could do it again, you know.¡± Xiao Wan raised her voice toward the villa. ¡°Aili! Bring me a cake! Someone¡¯s face here looks like it needs smashing!¡±

    ¡°You! Fine, fine! Have it your way!¡± Ye Chen glared at her, turned on his heel, and marched toward the villa.

    As he left, the blond worker approached Xiao Wan with concern. ¡°Miss, are you alright? Do you need help? That man was pretty aggressive just now.¡±

    Xiao Wan admired the man¡¯s chest, abs, and the hint of a V-line under his waistband. She was about to ask why someone so handsome hadn¡¯t gone into acting when Ye Chen turned and shouted from a distance, ¡°Lin Xiaowan! Don¡¯t even think about flirting! Stay away from that blond giant!¡±

    Xiao Wan flinched at his roar, rolled her eyes, and thought, What does it matter to you if I flirt? But still, she waved off the blond man, who reluctantly returned to his work.

    Meanwhile, Ye Chen stormed into the villa, found Chen Xin in his study, and launched into a tirade. ¡°Chen Xin, have you lost your mind? If you¡¯re renovating your pool, fine, but why hire workers who look like runway models? Do you even realize how much trouble that little fox outside can cause? You¡¯d better go check on her before she gets swept off her feet by that blond musclehead!¡±

    Chen Xin paused, then chuckled. ¡°She won¡¯t. Besides, I¡¯m not tearing down the pool. It¡¯s just getting a small diving platform installed so Xiao Wan can host pool parties later.¡±

    ¡°You really let her do whatever she wants. If she asked you to commit crimes, would you agree too?¡± Ye Chen glared at him. ¡°And you¡¯re not even worried? A woman like Lin Xiaowan could just stand on the street doing nothing and still have men throwing themselves at her!¡±

    Chen Xin smiled confidently. ¡°Why should I worry? Those workers, handsome as they may be, still fall short compared to me. If anything, they make me look better by comparison.¡±

    Ye Chen was speechless. This guy is way too confident. But then again, Chen Xin had always been this way¡ªpolite and gentle on the outside but firm and ambitious within.

    ¡°Anyway, why are you here all of a sudden? Something up?¡± Chen Xin asked.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Ye Chen coughed awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so I thought I¡¯d invite you to lunch. And, uh¡­ maybe your girlfriend could join us too.¡±

    Chen Xin raised an eyebrow. ¡°You want Xiao Wan to come along?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ye Chen scratched his nose and avoided Chen Xin¡¯s gaze. ¡°She¡¯s your girlfriend, after all. I don¡¯t want to keep things tense between us.¡±

    Chen Xin was surprised but then laughed. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be the one to break the ice after what happened at your birthday party. I honestly thought you two would never speak again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. I¡¯m a grown man; I don¡¯t hold grudges.¡± Ye Chen waved it off. ¡°Just ask her. If she doesn¡¯t want to come, fine, no big deal.¡±

    Chen Xin was pleased. He¡¯d tried to mediate between the two before but had given up when Xiao Wan showed no interest. Now that Ye Chen was making the first move, he thought it was worth trying again.

    He went downstairs, found Xiao Wan by the pool, and said, ¡°Are you hungry? Ye Chen¡¯s inviting us to lunch. Want to come?¡±

    Xiao Wan glanced at Ye Chen behind him and snorted. ¡°Lunch? More like an excuse to set you up with some pretty girls, I bet.¡±

    Chen Xin cupped her face and smiled gently. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. And I promised you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll never do anything to make you misunderstand again. Besides, Ye Chen¡¯s generous¡ªhe¡¯ll pick a place with amazing food. Don¡¯t you want to try it?¡±

    Caught between her dislike for Ye Chen and her love of good food, Xiao Wan hesitated for a while before finally giving in. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. But you¡¯re coming upstairs with me to pick out clothes!¡±

    ¡°What? Why do I need to change clothes?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, just come with me!¡±

    Left alone by the pool, Ye Chen glared at the workers, especially the blond man. ¡°Hey! You! Yes, you! Put on a shirt! If you¡¯re here to work, then work¡ªstop flexing your muscles like you¡¯re the only one who has them!¡±

    The blond man, confused but obedient, put on his jacket.

    Upstairs, in the bedroom, Xiao Wan pulled Chen Xin into the walk-in closet and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned physique. Chen Xin felt a surge of anticipation. Though they¡¯d been sleeping in the same bed again, Xiao Wan had been playing hard to get, leaving him frustrated.

    Could it be that she was finally ready? He placed his hands on her shoulders, only to hear her murmur, ¡°Yep, my little Chen Xin still has the best body. Even better than that blond guy¡¯s.¡±

    Chen Xin blinked. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°That blond worker outside.¡± Xiao Wan snuggled against his chest. ¡°Luckily, you¡¯re so good-looking. Otherwise, I might have been tempted to switch sides.¡±

    Chen Xin laughed softly and stroked her hair. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Wow, confident much?¡± Xiao Wan teased before handing him some clothes. ¡°Alright, get changed.¡±

    As Chen Xin turned to change, Xiao Wan suddenly hugged him from behind, her hands slipping below his waistband. Chen Xin stiffened, his breathing uneven. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Just checking if you really measure up to 18 centimeters,¡± Xiao Wan teased. ¡°I¡¯ve guessed before, but hands-on measurement is more accurate¡ªwow, reacting so quickly already?¡±

    Lin Xiaowan trembled slightly when Chen Xin raised his voice. She helplessly pouted, thinking to herself, What business is it of yours if I flirt with someone else? Why do you care so much? Still, she waved at the blond hunk in front of her, signaling him to return to work. He left with a look of regret on his face.

    As for Ye Chen, the moment he entered the villa, he stormed into Chen Xin¡¯s study, where Chen was working. He angrily tattled, ¡°Chen Xin, have you lost your mind? If you¡¯re tearing down your pool, couldn¡¯t you find a regular crew instead of hiring a bunch of guys who look like runway models? Especially when you know how much trouble that little temptress by your side can cause! Go take a look¡ªyour Lin Xiaowan is about to be stolen by that blond hunk with the massive pecs!¡±

    Chen Xin paused for a moment before realizing what Ye Chen was talking about. He chuckled and shook his head, replying calmly, ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere. Besides, I¡¯m not tearing down the pool. It¡¯s getting hot, and Xiaowan wanted to install a small diving board by the pool so we can host pool parties for friends later.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re spoiling her too much. If she told you to set something on fire, would you just do it?¡± Ye Chen glared at him in frustration. ¡°And you¡¯re really not worried? A woman like Lin Xiaowan, even if she just stands by the roadside doing nothing, would have men falling over themselves to get to her. I think you should replace those workers, just to be safe.¡±

    Chen Xin smiled confidently. ¡°Why replace them? That¡¯s the best renovation team in N City. So what if they¡¯re a little good-looking? Compared to me, they don¡¯t even come close. Having them around just makes me look even better by comparison.¡±

    This guy was really confident. Ye Chen gave him an exasperated look. Then again, it was true. Chen Xin had always been like this¡ªseemingly modest and gentle on the outside but unshakably confident and ambitious at heart.

    ¡°Anyway, why are you here? Something on your mind?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    Ye Chen cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we last met. I, uh¡­ I was thinking of inviting you out for a meal. Maybe¡­ your girlfriend could join us too.¡±

    Chen Xin raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at his best friend with curiosity. ¡°You want Xiaowan to come, too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ye Chen said, rubbing his nose and avoiding Chen Xin¡¯s gaze. ¡°She¡¯s your girlfriend, after all. I don¡¯t want things to stay so awkward between us.¡±

    Chen Xin stared at him for a moment before chuckling. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be the one to extend an olive branch after what happened at your birthday party. I thought you two were going to avoid each other for the rest of your lives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. I¡¯m a grown man; I don¡¯t hold grudges,¡± Ye Chen said dismissively. ¡°Just ask her. If she doesn¡¯t want to come, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t care either way.¡±

    Chen Xin was naturally pleased by this development. He had been hoping for a chance to reconcile the two of them, but Xiaowan had always shown resistance whenever he brought it up. He didn¡¯t want to force her. Now that Ye Chen had taken the initiative, he thought it was worth a try.

    Chen Xin went downstairs to the pool area and approached Xiaowan. ¡°Are you hungry? Ye Chen wants to take us out for lunch. Do you want to come?¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at Ye Chen, who was standing not far behind Chen Xin. She huffed and said sourly, ¡°Lunch, huh? Let me guess¡ªsomeone¡¯s planning to use the opportunity to introduce you to some pretty girls, right?¡±

    Chen Xin stroked her cheek gently and said, ¡°Of course not. If you¡¯re worried, just come with me. And I promised you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll never do anything to make you feel insecure again. Besides, Ye Chen¡¯s quite generous. The restaurant he picks is bound to have great food. Don¡¯t you want to give it a try?¡±

    Caught between her dislike for Ye Chen and her love of good food, Xiaowan wavered for a while. Eventually, she gave in and stood up, feigning indifference. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll graciously accompany you. Let¡¯s go. You¡¯re coming upstairs with me to change clothes.¡±

    Chen Xin was confused. ¡°You can change on your own. Why do I need to change?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Come with me!¡±

    Chen Xin had no choice but to let her drag him inside. Meanwhile, Ye Chen was left standing by the pool, glaring at the shirtless workers across the way. He pointed at the blond hunk from earlier and barked, ¡°Hey, you! Yeah, you! Put on your shirt! You¡¯re here to work, not to show off your muscles. What, do you think no one else has them?¡±

    The blond hunk looked baffled but obediently put on a shirt.

    In the bedroom, Xiaowan pulled Chen Xin into the walk-in closet and swiftly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his well-defined muscles. Chen Xin couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. Though they had been sharing a bed again recently, Xiaowan had become an expert at ¡°playing hard to get,¡± leaving him endlessly frustrated.

    Could she have finally decided to let go of her teasing? Though surprised, Chen Xin felt ready.

    But just as he placed his hand on her shoulder, Xiaowan smirked and said, ¡°Ah, as I thought, my darling¡¯s physique is still the best. Even his abs and V-line are more attractive than that guy¡¯s.¡±

    Chen Xin blinked in confusion. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The blond construction worker outside,¡± Xiaowan replied, snuggling into his chest. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re this handsome. Otherwise, I might¡¯ve been tempted to stray.¡±

    Chen Xin chuckled, stroking her hair. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh, confident, are we?¡± Xiaowan teased, flashing him a mischievous grin before handing him some clothes. ¡°Hurry up and change.¡±

    As Chen Xin changed into a new outfit, Xiaowan suddenly hugged him from behind and slipped her hand into his boxers. Chen Xin stiffened, his breathing quickening. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Measuring to see if you¡¯re really 18 centimeters,¡± Xiaowan replied cheekily. ¡°I¡¯ve eyeballed it before, but nothing beats hands-on verification¡ªoh my, reacting already?¡±

    Before Chen Xin could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them from outside:

    ¡°Hey, are you two planning to take all day? I¡¯m starving over here¡ª¡±

    Ye Chen¡¯s words died in his throat as he accidentally caught sight of the scene inside.

    Chen Xin sighed and quickly covered Xiaowan with her dress, turning to block her from view. He calmly said to Ye Chen, ¡°Wait downstairs. We¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Ye Chen stammered, ¡°O-oh! Okay, I¡¯ll just¡­ wait outside!¡±

    As he scrambled away, Xiaowan fumed, grabbed her shoe, and hurled it at him, shouting, ¡°Interrupting someone¡¯s fun deserves a lifetime of impotence! Impotence, impotence, impotence!¡±

    Downstairs, Ye Chen sulked while Xiaowan dragged Chen Xin out for lunch. Over the meal, she got her revenge by ordering the restaurant¡¯s entire supply of lobster, leaving Ye Chen speechless and his wallet significantly lighter.

    Here is the translation of the text you provided:

    Ye Chen knew that Lin Xiaowan, that damn woman, was using this opportunity to get back at him for disturbing her and Chen Xin¡¯s good time earlier. He knew he was at fault, but still couldn¡¯t help but glare at Xiaowan.

    Upon receiving his gaze, Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and coldly said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Mr. Gu, can¡¯t even afford this little meal?¡±

    Ye Chen cursed under his breath, took out his black card from his wallet, and slapped it on the table, saying, ¡°Fine, fine, here¡¯s the card! Eat whatever you want today, are you satisfied now?¡±

    Xiaowan happily shook her head, grabbed the card and said, ¡°You said it yourself, oh, I just realized I forgot to order shark fin soup¡­¡±

    On the side, Chen Xin, feeling a bit embarrassed, hugged Xiaowan and said, ¡°Alright, babe, don¡¯t bully him. He didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s bullying him? I know you like red wine, so I ordered Roman¨¦e-Conti for you,¡± Xiaowan winked innocently at him.

    Chen Xin smiled helplessly, shook his head, and said to Ye Chen, ¡°Sorry, you know how she is. I¡¯ll pay you back for the meal later.¡±

    ¡°No need, we¡¯re like family,¡± Ye Chen rubbed his nose. ¡°Well, I admit I messed up, and this meal is my way of apologizing. Also¡­ Lin Xiaowan, I know we¡¯ve never gotten along, maybe in the past, I had some misunderstandings about you, but no matter what, those things are in the past. I¡­ still hope we can get along peacefully from now on, otherwise, it¡¯s hard for Chen Xin to be in the middle, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xiaowan showed an astonished expression and suddenly acted, quickly and lightning-fast grabbing Ye Chen¡¯s face and twisting it hard.

    Ye Chen wasn¡¯t prepared for this, and immediately winced in pain, pulling back and angrily shouted, ¡°Damn it! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I was checking if you¡¯re a fraud impersonating someone,¡± Xiaowan said seriously. ¡°Isn¡¯t this how it¡¯s done in movies? They put a face mask on and can pretend to be someone else. Tell me, who are you really? Has Ye Chen already been done away with?¡±

    Ye Chen grumbled, ¡°What do you mean ¡®done away with¡¯? I¡¯m myself, okay! What fraud impersonation? And what¡¯s with that smug, gloating look on your face, huh? It¡¯s like you¡¯re happy I¡¯m being deceived.¡±

    ¡°Really? I¡¯m not,¡± Xiaowan said, smiling brightly at him.

    That smile was really annoying!

    Seeing the two were about to start arguing again, Chen Xin quickly stepped in to mediate, ¡°Alright, alright, Xiaowan, I¡¯ve known Ye Chen for so many years, and I know him well. He¡¯s not someone who easily lowers his head to others. Since he¡¯s trying to make peace today, could you¡­ try to be more tolerant of him?¡±

    Xiaowan glanced at him, sighed helplessly, and said, ¡°Fine, fine, I promise you. I¡¯ll try not to bully him anymore. So¡­ let¡¯s get along, okay?¡±

    Saying that, she extended her hand to Ye Chen.

    He reached out and shook her hand, but Xiaowan suddenly pressed his hand hard onto the table, shouting, ¡°Chen Xiaoguai, come help me catch this big fraud! Tell me honestly, where have you hidden the real Ye Chen?¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you crazy?¡±

    A moment later, a large, plump lobster was brought to the table by the waiter. Xiaowan grabbed the salad dressing and wrote ¡°Ye Chen¡± on the back of the lobster, then stabbed it with her fork a few times, creating a big hole in the lobster.

    As she stabbed, she narrowed her eyes dangerously, staring at Ye Chen.

    Ye Chen felt his spine shiver from her actions, and finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He lowered his head and begged, ¡°Miss, is it not enough that I¡¯ve apologized and given you the black card? What else do you want from me?¡±

    Xiaowan continued violently tearing the lobster¡¯s head in half, saying, ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s not impossible for me to forgive what you did before. Don¡¯t you have a racing team?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, what about it?¡±

    Xiaowan pointed at Chen Xin and said, ¡°Let my little Guai join, I want him to race against Nathan.¡±

    This translation reflects the original tone and structure while making it more understandable in English. Let me know if you need any further changes!

 35.car racing

    Three days later,

    Chen Xin drove Xiao Wan to the auto repair shop owned by Ye Chen. The shop spanned over 300 square meters and had a luxurious and impressive exterior, with an array of tools, and six workshops dedicated to car repairs. However, what was peculiar was that there weren¡¯t many customers coming in for repairs, and the square in front of the shop appeared unusually quiet and empty.

    It wasn¡¯t because the prices were too high for most people to afford; rather, the shop, though advertised as an auto repair service, was primarily focused on tuning and modifying sports cars.

    In fact, the Ye family¡¯s business had no ties to automobiles initially. But after Ye Chen came to the U.S. to do business and developed a passion for street racing, he became fascinated with tuning sports cars to make them faster. At first, he had visited different shops for small modifications, but this didn¡¯t guarantee quality, and the process took too long. Eventually, Ye Chen decided to open his own repair shop, hiring many skilled workers to handle the modifications for his racing team.

    After competing against Nathan Brown¡¯s racing team a few times, both had won and lost some races, and Ye Chen¡¯s reputation grew in the street racing circle. More and more people came to his shop for modifications. Initially, Ye Chen¡¯s parents opposed this business venture, as no one in the family had experience in it. However, after just a year, the repair shop made millions of dollars in profits, and his parents stopped opposing his hobby.

    Today, Chen Xin had brought Xiao Wan here to modify his Koenigsegg. While the car¡¯s current performance could easily beat most supercars, Nathan Brown, a racing enthusiast, had modified his Aston Martin to exceptional levels. To win, Chen Xin also needed to upgrade his car.

    ¡°This is Ye Chen¡¯s shop? Looks pretty average,¡± Xiao Wan complained as soon as they got out of the car. ¡°Xiao Gui, let¡¯s go somewhere else for the modifications. I¡¯m worried he¡¯s going to make your car slower instead.¡±

    Before Chen Xin could reply, Ye Chen walked out of the shop, hearing Xiao Wan¡¯s remarks. Annoyed, he yelled, ¡°What¡¯s this nonsense? Do you know my shop is ranked in the top ten in the U.S.? People are crying to get in here for modifications, and they can¡¯t even get a spot!¡±

    Xiao Wan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I think they want to beat you. They probably cried when they saw how many people were ahead of them in line.¡±

    ¡°You woman, can¡¯t you say something nice?!¡± Ye Chen was furious. ¡°It was you who insisted that Xiao Gui compete with Nathan. I¡¯m helping you out, and you can¡¯t even say thank you?¡±

    Xiao Wan snorted, ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if you can get Xiao Gui¡¯s car done well first. Then maybe I¡¯ll thank you.¡±

    ¡°You! Fine, you wait! I¡¯ll show you my skills today!¡± Ye Chen turned around, snapped his fingers, and summoned his best modification team. Pointing at Chen Xin¡¯s Koenigsegg, he said, ¡°This car right here. You all know how Nathan modified his car, right? If you can make this car faster than Nathan¡¯s, I¡¯ll give you triple the bonus by the end of the month!¡±

    The team immediately surrounded Chen Xin and began discussing. Professional terms flew around, and Xiao Wan, feeling dizzy from the jargon, grabbed a bottle of iced soda from Chen Xin¡¯s car and walked into the shop to look at the parts for sale.

    As the weather grew hotter, Xiao Wan¡¯s outfit became more revealing. Today, she wore a black spaghetti strap top with a white, tight-fitting mini skirt. Her slim and delicate waist was exposed between the top and skirt. As she walked past the technicians with a graceful posture, all the men¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to her.

    One technician couldn¡¯t help but wipe the sweat from his forehead, staring at her swaying hips and swallowing.

    Ye Chen immediately exploded in rage, slamming the hood of the Koenigsegg and shouting, ¡°What are you looking at?! That¡¯s my buddy¡¯s girlfriend! Keep your eyes to yourself! If I catch you sneaking glances, I¡¯ll have you all kicked out!¡±

    The technicians, still in awe of this business-savvy boss, reluctantly shifted their gaze but couldn¡¯t help congratulating Chen Xin. ¡°Your girlfriend is beautiful, man. I envy you!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah! Oh my God, if I had a girlfriend like hers, I¡¯d die for her!¡±

    Though Chen Xin didn¡¯t like them ogling his girlfriend, he understood their feelings. After all, he was willing to do anything for Xiao Wan, even risk his life. That¡¯s why he had decided to modify his car and participate in the dangerous street races.

    Here, Chen Xin was discussing with the workers how to modify the vehicles, while on the other side, Ye Chen had angrily chased into the shop to stand beside Xiao Wan. He gave her a glare from head to toe, angrily saying, ¡°Lin Xiao Wan, could you die if you wore a bit more fabric?¡±

    Xiao Wan took a sip of soda and rolled her eyes at him. ¡°None of your business. I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been getting more controlling lately.¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand seeing you out there flaunting yourself every day!¡±

    ¡°Does it matter if you can¡¯t stand it? As long as Chen Xiaoguai is okay with it,¡± Xiao Wan glared at him, kicking him. ¡°Go away, I can¡¯t stop myself from wanting to hit you when I see you.¡±

    Ye Chen retorted angrily, ¡°This is my shop. If anyone¡¯s leaving, it¡¯s you!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave! If you can, kick me out!¡± Xiao Wan stepped forward, lifting her chin and glaring at him.

    Ye Chen¡¯s attention, however, couldn¡¯t help but focus on her two little bunny-like breasts, accentuated by her black spaghetti strap. His heart sank, and he quickly turned and walked out, muttering, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t leave. As if I¡¯d want to stay with you!¡±

    Xiao Wan, staring at his back, felt something odd. This guy usually wasn¡¯t so quick to back down. She couldn¡¯t help but chase after him and call out, ¡°Ye Chen, stop!¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± Ye Chen glanced at her in panic.

    Xiao Wan tapped her high heel on the ground, saying, ¡°I think your attitude was strange just now. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t tell me what? Did this woman notice something? Damn it, I¡¯ve been trying so hard to control myself! Ye Chen raged inside.

    Then, Xiao Wan mischievously blinked at him and smiled, saying, ¡°You¡¯re not holding it in, are you? You must be in a hurry to go to the bathroom, right? I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you, indulging too much is bad for a man¡¯s body, you should hold back.¡±

    ¡°¡­Indulge? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s indulging!¡± Ye Chen cursed angrily and stomped out of the shop.

    Just at that moment, Chen Xin and the workers had finished discussing the modifications. Turning around, he saw his good friend, furious, and shook his head helplessly. He walked into the shop, hugged Xiao Wan from behind, and whispered in her ear, ¡°What did you do to make Ye Chen so mad?¡±

    ¡°Who bullied him? You know it¡¯s always him starting things,¡± Xiao Wan hummed, holding his hand. ¡°So, are the modifications all set?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll start now, should be done the day after tomorrow.¡± Chen Xin rubbed his chin against her neck. It was hot, and Xiao Wan had a thin layer of sweat on her skin. She laughed and tried to move away, ¡°Stop rubbing, it smells bad because of the sweat.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell bad, I think it smells great,¡± Chen Xin lingered, rubbing his face against her skin.

    Xiao Wan gradually quieted down. Looking at the various car parts in the shop, she softly asked, ¡°Xiao Guai, do you think I¡¯m being too selfish?¡±

    ¡°Selfish? How?¡± Chen Xin asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯ve never raced before, but I¡¯m forcing you to race with Nathan. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m doing it just to piss him off, without caring about your safety?¡±

    Chen Xin hugged her even tighter. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. On the contrary, I¡¯m glad you want me to race him. Xiao Wan, I want you to know that no matter how great your ex-boyfriends were, I, Chen Xin, will always do better. That way, you won¡¯t want to leave me, right?¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Xiao Wan turned to look at him, touched, and kissed his chin while standing on tiptoe. ¡°Once you beat him, how about we sleep together?¡±

    Chen Xin laughed, ¡°You¡¯re always thinking about that¡­ Fine, I promise you.¡±

    Xiao Wan happily said, ¡°Then let¡¯s do it here! I¡¯m going to mess up Ye Chen¡¯s shop, roll around on the floor with you, break all these expensive parts, and drive him crazy! Hahaha!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Ye Chen, who was standing at the door of the shop, shouted angrily, ¡°Chen Xin! Get your trouble-making girlfriend out of my shop!¡±

    In the evening, Chen Xin took Xiao Wan to invite Ye Chen for dinner at a nearby restaurant.

    As usual, Xiao Wan ordered a huge spread of food and, like a queen, commanded Chen Xin to feed her this and that. Before long, her small face was stuffed with food, and she couldn¡¯t help but happily sit in her chair, shaking her head.

    Sitting across from her, Ye Chen couldn¡¯t help but criticize as he watched her chew, ¡°The way you eat, you look like a squirrel. I¡¯m just short of giving you a tail so you can climb a tree.¡±

    With her mouth full, Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t speak, so she picked up her phone and typed a message for him to read. It clearly said, ¡°None of your business!¡±

    Ye Chen helplessly looked at his good friend, ¡°Chen Xin, you don¡¯t even discipline her! Aren¡¯t you worried she¡¯ll stuff herself to death? After the fifty lobsters she ate last time, I can¡¯t even look at lobsters without feeling nauseous.¡±

    Chen Xin¡¯s solution was to gently wipe Xiao Wan¡¯s mouth with a wet wipe. ¡°She won¡¯t, Xiao Wan just has a big appetite, but she knows her limits. Don¡¯t you think she looks cute when she eats?¡±

    Ye Chen shuddered. ¡°I think it¡¯s terrifying! Be careful one day when there¡¯s no food at home, she¡¯ll just swallow you whole out of hunger.¡±

    Xiao Wan immediately extended her hand, growling like a wolf, ¡°I¡¯ll eat you first!¡±

    Ye Chen glared at her and turned to Chen Xin, saying, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve set up the time with Nathan. It¡¯s this Saturday at 7 PM. Are you good with that?¡±

    Chen Xin nodded, ¡°No problem.¡±

    Ye Chen tapped the table and said, ¡°It¡¯s your first time in this kind of race, and I¡¯m a bit worried. How about I go with you two? That way, if something happens, I can keep an eye on things.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Chen Xin agreed, but Xiao Wan, holding a crab, smashed it against Ye Chen, scolding, ¡°Bad luck! Take your words back! If something happens to my Xiao Guai, I¡¯ll rip you apart like I¡¯m tearing this crab leg!¡±

    Ye Chen sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to him! I just want to make sure everyone¡¯s safe, okay? You, woman, don¡¯t understand racing, so stop butting in.¡±

    Xiao Wan suddenly lifted the half-crab in her hand, forcefully ripped off a leg, and started munching on it, staring at Ye Chen while chewing ¡°crunch, crunch.¡±

    Ye Chen couldn¡¯t help but shiver, looking for help from Chen Xin, ¡°Hey, she¡¯s threatening me, right? Tell me I¡¯m not imagining it! Are you even my good friend? Can you control her?¡±

    A few days later, on Saturday night. Chen Xin, driving his modified Koenigsegg, took Xiao Wan to the racing location where he had arranged to meet Nathan.

    Unlike professional racing competitions with dedicated tracks, street races are all about random locations, random dangers, and challenges, relying on skill to win. So the racing locations are always different. This time, the race was on a usually low-traffic ring road, and since Nathan¡¯s family was wealthy, they easily shut down the road for the race.

    On the way, Chen Xin casually asked Xiao Wan, ¡°Have you watched Nathan race against others before?¡±

    Xiao Wan, sitting in the passenger seat with her legs crossed, painting her toenails, answered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen him race before. But I wasn¡¯t really interested. I usually just sit in a caf¨¦ nearby and wait for him to finish. Once, I even saw him race against Ye Chen, but at that time, I didn¡¯t know it was Ye Chen in that Bugatti.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Chen Xin said. ¡°How about you rest in a caf¨¦ today while I race? I¡¯ll come find you when I¡¯m done.¡±

    Xiao Wan turned to look at him, ¡°What, are you afraid you¡¯ll lose to Nathan?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Chen Xin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the race will be too intense and scare you.¡±

    ¡°Am I that scared? I¡¯ve watched Alien 163 times! A little street race won¡¯t scare me,¡± Xiao Wan leaned closer to his ear and whispered, ¡°Besides, my beloved Xiao Guai is racing. I¡¯m definitely staying by his side. Oh, by the way, how about I be the starter for you three during the race? I¡¯ve wanted to do that role for a long time!¡±

    Chen Xin turned his head and kissed her cheek, softly saying, ¡°Okay.¡±

    A moment later, the two of them arrived at the circular highway. Before they even got out of the car, a group of men and women of various types gathered around Chen Xin¡¯s Koenigsegg. These people were all street racing enthusiasts, and they began discussing the car.

    ¡°Koenigsegg is indeed a great car, but this guy looks like a novice. He definitely won¡¯t be able to handle it well. I still support Nathan.¡±

    ¡°I also support Nathan. He and Ye Chen are both legendary figures in this circle. Why does he have to race with this rookie?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s for a woman! I heard Nathan¡¯s girlfriend was stolen by this guy.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xiao Wan couldn¡¯t help but lean out of the car, coldly saying to them, ¡°Stolen my foot! Nathan was the one cheating, and now he¡¯s blaming it on someone else? If you dare say anything bad about my boyfriend, I¡¯ll make you crawl home today!¡±

    Since many of those were Nathan¡¯s fans, some of them recognized Xiao Wan. They immediately stepped back, no longer daring to speak.

    At that moment, the crowd in front automatically parted. It was Nathan and Ye Chen walking toward them.

    Chen Xin and Xiao Wan both got out of the car and stood still, calmly waiting for the two to approach.

    Nathan, dressed in a black shirt and pants, walked with a presence that seemed to belong to a beast. His broad, muscular chest and arms made him look less like a racer and more like someone ready for a fight. Beside him, Ye Chen didn¡¯t have the same imposing physique as Nathan, but his tall frame and commanding presence still stood out. He held a cigarette between his lips, hands in his jeans pockets, eyes narrowed slightly as he walked forward. His cold expression was partially hidden by the smoke he exhaled.

    As for Chen Xin? He wore a casual beige long-sleeve T-shirt paired with loose white pants, looking almost like a university professor with his gentle demeanor. But upon closer inspection, one would notice that his calmness made him resemble a leopard about to pounce on its prey, giving a false sense of harmlessness before he suddenly attacked.

    Xiao Wan looked at the three men for a few seconds, then stepped forward, picking up her Bottega Veneta woven bag and smashing it onto Ye Chen¡¯s head.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Ye Chen quickly dodged, glaring at Xiao Wan, ¡°Why do you hit me as soon as we meet? Are you crazy?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy!¡± Xiao Wan placed her hands on her hips and scolded, ¡°Today is the match where my current boyfriend beats my scumbag ex, and you¡¯re here to make trouble. Go back home and rub your feet!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said I¡¯m here to watch Chen Xin. Don¡¯t you want him to be safe?¡± Ye Chen said helplessly.

    Xiao Wan hesitated for a moment, then leaned over and whispered to him, ¡°Hey! Since you¡¯re Chen Xin¡¯s good buddy, why don¡¯t you secretly take out Nathan during the race? That way, Xiao Guai will definitely win!¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work. We¡¯re all upright men. If we race, we¡¯ll do it fairly.¡± Ye Chen disagreed.

    Xiao Wan glared at him, ¡°With that attitude, are you really planning to race seriously with them?¡±

    ¡°Of course, why not?¡± Ye Chen said proudly. ¡°Maybe this time, I¡¯ll even win. I¡¯ve often beaten Nathan in the past, and Chen Xin is a rookie, so he definitely won¡¯t catch up to me¡ªahhh! Damn! Let go! Let go!¡±

    Xiao Wan had dug her sharp high heel into Ye Chen¡¯s foot, twisting it around a few times. She grabbed his collar and threatened, ¡°Ye Chen, listen up. If you dare beat Chen Xiao Guai today, I¡¯ll pluck every hair off your body! Not just the top, but the bottom too!¡±

    Ye Chen flinched and quickly backed away from the fierce woman. On the other side, after a few seconds of silent staring, Chen Xin and Nathan finally broke the silence.

    Nathan extended his hand toward Chen Xin and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Nathan Brown. We met at Gu¡¯s birthday party last time.¡±

    Chen Xin immediately extended his hand, shaking it with a calm smile. ¡°Yes, I remember. It¡¯s nice to see you again. I¡¯m Chen Xin.¡±

    After exchanging those pleasantries, the two of them fell silent again. However, their hands didn¡¯t part but instead subtly tested each other¡¯s grip, trying to determine who would prevail in this silent competition of strength.

    Nathan remained calm, while Chen Xin smiled. The surrounding crowd couldn¡¯t help but feel tense, as it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand from their expressions. Were they going to fight?

    Before this silent struggle could reach its conclusion, Xiao Wan rushed over and interrupted. She angrily pushed Nathan aside, shouting, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Stay away from my man!¡±

    Nathan, distracted by her, loosened his grip, and Chen Xin, not wanting to take advantage of the situation, also released his hand. Xiao Wan quickly leaned down to check on him. ¡°Are you okay? Is it serious?¡±

    Chen Xin moved his hand in front of Xiao Wan and smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Didn¡¯t I tell you I practice martial arts? But I have to admit, he does have some strength. It¡¯s been a long time since I met someone who could grip my hand like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good, it¡¯s good.¡± Xiao Wan let out a relieved breath and kissed his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t do that next time, okay? I¡¯ll worry.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Meanwhile, Ye Chen, tired of watching the couple being affectionate, turned his attention to Nathan and suddenly noticed that the hand Nathan had used to shake was now hidden under his sleeve, slightly trembling. He walked over and asked, ¡°Hey, man, are you okay?¡±

    Nathan forced a smile and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t waste time. Let¡¯s start the race.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Ye Chen nodded, then turned to give some instructions to the people around. The fans of the race, who had gathered to watch, immediately moved to stand along the racetrack.

    Chen Xin, Nathan, and Ye Chen lined up their cars at the starting line, with the Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and Aston Martin¡ªthe top supercars in the world¡ªfacing off, making the fans cheer enthusiastically. The scene was as lively as a festival.

    Since this was Chen Xin¡¯s first time participating in such a race, a few technicians walked over to explain the rules to him. Xiao Wan stood in the middle of the track, ready to act as the starting official for the race.

    However, just as the technicians were explaining the rules to Chen Xin, there was suddenly a commotion from the crowd.

    Everyone turned to look at the source of the noise. Xiao Wan curiously stuck her head out to see what was happening and saw a black Pagani making its way through the crowd toward them.

    She walked over and knocked on Ye Chen¡¯s car window, asking, ¡°Hey, did you call a fourth person to race?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Ye Chen turned around, surprised, ¡°Damn, whose Pagani is that? Looks pretty nice.¡±

    Just as he finished speaking, the black supercar stopped next to the three other supercars, and the person inside stepped out. As soon as Xiao Wan saw his face, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    ¡°Leng Qing?¡±